Four Weddings And A Divorce
by genki-escapist
Summary: New chapter up! Daddy Quatre and Mommy Dorothy have to talk to talk to the Headmistress about the boys' misbehavior. Whatthe littlest Winner gets in trouble too? Not if two famous or infamous? princesses can help it!
1. Prologue

**Author's Notes: **Aha!! This is the sequel to one of my other 4D fanfics!! One that I haven't uploaded yet. So the events are: Dorothy and Quatre got married, Catherine and Trowa are not siblings And… so…? Of course I made them end up together!! Midii Une just… sucks. Bleagh. , Heero comes back to Relena, Meiran is alive and married to Wufei , and of course, Duo and Hilde get together I mean c'mon . So… I made this fic because almost all fanfics I read about Dorothy and Quatre getting married assume they will have a very happy ending. They will not. I bet you they will not. Don't get me wrong, they are my favorite Gundam Wing couple, I like them even more than Relena/Heero. But Dorothy Catalonia and Quatre Winner are bound to have troubles—many troubles, if they get married. Hopefully, none that they can't manage though. - Read and review??

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. DOH.

Four Weddings and a Divorce 

Prologue:

"Isn't she beautiful??" Dorothy Winner felt tired, as all women do a day after giving birth, but she held out the bundle in her arms for her friends to see, her pale blue eyes misty.

Several voices tittered and the room resounded with "oohs" and "aahs".

"How adorable!!" Relena Yuy cried. "Look at her, Heero!!" She squeezed her husband's hand.

"Hn." Heero nodded.

Dorothy laughed. Nothing—not marriage, not parenthood, changed Heero Yuy.

"Of course she's beautiful…" Quatre said, sitting on the edge of Dorothy's hospital bed. "She has her mother's face…" Quatre smiled down at her. Dorothy loved it. His smiles were just… full of love and directed at her. Only at her.

"Oh, Quatre…" Dorothy leaned against him and he rested her back against his chest, supporting her.

"Well, congratulations Q-Man!!" Duo Maxwell gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. "Your fourth child!! I'm glad to see the CEO of the Winner Corporation still has time to play—oof!!" His eyes bulged when Hilde's elbow came in contact with his ribs.

"Duo!!" Hilde scolded. Everyone in the room laughed. Except for Wufei, that is.

"This is injustice!!" Wufei ranted. "How can you just let that onna dominate you?? It's dishonorable!!"

"Wufei, shut up." Meiran said, wrapping her arms around his waist. Wufei let out a strangled sound. "I said QUIET!!"

Trowa Barton shook his head. "Not so tough, eh?"

"How DARE you—"

"Wufei!!" Meiran cried.

"………"

"That's quite enough. Don't spoil the mood." Catherine Barton said. She reached over to hug Dorothy. "I'm very happy for the two of you, Dorothy… Quatre."

"Thank you Cathy." Dorothy says.

Trowa merely nodded and shook hands with the Winners. Still a man of few words.

The door swung open and three little boys burst in the room.

"MOMMY!!! DADDY!!!"

"Yossef!! Yehan!! Ezra!!" Dorothy and Quatre cried.

"We're here, Master Quatre, Mistress Dorothy." Rashid said, smiling.

The six year-old twins Yossef and Yehan clambered up Dorothy's bed despite Quatre telling them not to. Five year-old Ezra contented himself standing beside their mother's bed. Quatre picked him up and put him on his knees.

"Mommy, that is Wendy?" Yossef cried. "She's so tiny!!"

Dorothy laughed. "Honey, all three of you where also that size when you were born."

"Mommy, why is her face all red?? Mommy it looks scrunched up!!" Yehan cried, sounding a little alarmed. "Mommy is she hurt?? Daddy, what do we do??"

"She's not hurt, sweetie." Dorothy assured the younger twin.

"But her face!!" Yehan looked confused.

"That's how all babies are when they are born." Quatre explained.

"Mommy, Daddy, can I play with her??" Ezra asked.

"Not right now, darling. But soon, she will be big enough for her to play with her brothers." Dorothy replied.

"Okay." Ezra said. "I'll just look for now. Is that okay?"

"Yes, of course." Dorothy said.

"I'll just look too." Yossef said.

"………" Yehan was staring down at baby Wendy. "Hurry and grow up!!"

Author's Notes: Just a little look at the calm before the storm!!


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes: **On to the part I like!!

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. DOH.

Four Weddings and a Divorce 

Chapter 1:

Dorothy Catalonia was unnerved.

Of course Quatre insisted the he come to her office. If she wanted to see him, she would have to leave the "security" of the corporation's halls and go right into his office. _Right into the lion's den. _She knew what he was doing of course. In a public area, they were equal in footing, in his office however, it was an entirely different matter altogether.

She let Quatre's peppy little secretary lead her into the office. Melissa was more than a little annoying but Dorothy didn't let that bother her. One week while into the job, Dorothy had managed to straighten her out—the way she looked at and talked to Quatre. No matter how annoying, Dorothy always tolerated women, as long as they kept their paws off her man that is. _No, no, Dorothy Catalonia!! He is NOT your man, dammit!!_

"Mister Winner, I have a pleasant surprise!!" Melissa called as she opened the door. Dorothy stalked into the office, brushing past the secretary, her black stilettos clattering noisily until they came in contact with the plush carpet in front of Quatre's desk.

Quatre smiled boyishly. "Pleasant indeed."

"I would like a word with you, in private." Dorothy said coldly.

"Of course." Quatre's smile grew wider. "Melissa, please lock the door behind you."

"Yes Mister Winner." Melissa closed and locked the door.

Of course, Quatre would insist on having his secretary lock the door after her. That is just like him. _Underhanded… manipulative…_Dorothy's icy blue eyes met his vivid green ones, sparkling from beneath his tousled golden hair. He was still grinning impishly. _Handsome… no you fool!! Insult him, Dorothy Catalonia._

"Please, take a seat." Quatre said politely.

"I would rather not." Dorothy snapped through gritted teeth.

"Very well…" Since she was not sitting down, Quatre stood up. He took a few steps and stood about two feet away from her. "Shall we talk?"

"Quatre Raberba Winner," she began in a haughty tone. Whenever she used all three of his names with that tone, she was sure she got his full attention. "Quit dragging your feet!!"

"Whatever are you talking about, my love?" Quatre asked, his tone betraying that he had at least some idea of what she was on about.

Dorothy glared at him, the anger she was feeling intensifying her blue eyes. And he felt just like back then when they first met, and back when they were fifteen. Looking into her ice blue eyes. He felt shocked. Like he was drowning in the depths of those icy blue, a chill jarring him, settling down his bones.

"THIS!!" Dorothy yelled, snapping Quatre out of his reverie. She flung the thick folder containing divorce papers at him. "This is the fifth time I've personally come here to deliver these papers. I need them signed now."

"But dear," Quatre began. "I'll never sign papers divorcing me from my beloved."

"That is enough, Mister Winner!!" Dorothy shrieked, her voice teetering on the edge of losing control. "I need you to cooperate!!"

Quatre drew nearer towards her. "Mrs. Winner…"

Dorothy raised her chin defiantly. "I go by Dorothy Catalonia again, Mister Winner."

"Mrs. Winner…" Quatre insisted in an infuriating tone. Before she realized it, he was standing before her and he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Dorothy…"

"Quatre!!" Dorothy cried exasperatedly. "Stop that!! Stop—"

Quatre bent down, his lips nearly touching her ear, softly whispering Arabic phrases that barely made sense to her… but she loved hearing nonetheless…

Dorothy shivered, his closeness and the sound of his gentle voice talking in the strange language slicing through her cool and composed exterior. "Quatre…"

He continued whispering, the ardent words becoming more and more passionate, a thousand declarations of love. He continued whispering even as his lips grazed her neck and he brought up a hand to touch her silky cheek.

"Do not do this." Dorothy said softly, nearly begging. She squirmed, but his arms would not let go of her. She settled for turning her back on him and turning her head away from him.

Bad move.

His arms tightened around her and her tilted head gave him easier access in kissing her neck. Quatre felt her knees weaken and he caught her.

"Quatre, stop."

"Hmm??" Quatre murmured, his lips never leaving her neck.

"I'll run a foil through you again." Dorothy threatened through her gritted teeth.

"That's hardly an option now."

He was right of course. Despite the Gundam pilot's seemingly innocent and timid exterior, he had Dorothy wrapped around his little finger. Outwardly, she seemed to be the dominant one in their relationship and he let other people think just that. It does not matter anyway. After all, when the two of them are alone, it's Quatre who does the steering.

In vain, she tried to resist, nearly crying out in dismay as she forced herself to tear his hands off her. Or tried to rather. His gentle, caressing hands sought to touch her and that's just what they did, ignoring the ineffectual pulling of Dorothy's hands.

"Quatre," Dorothy moaned. "Stop." Her tone was screaming otherwise.

One of his hands started zipping down her dress.

It was just too much for her. His voice and the soft, Arabic phrases. His lips on her neck. A hand on her shoulders and now a hand starting to undress her. Dorothy tried stopping at least one of these many things Quatre was doing to her at once. Try to ward off some of the sensations forcing themselves on her.

Quatre's hands were on her waist again and he forced her to turn around and face him. He took Dorothy's hands, guiding them toward his tie.

_I… I'm pulling down his tie??…_

One by one, articles of clothing dropped on the floor. Dorothy watched with helpless fascination. _Fantastic. My hands are doing things I'm telling them not to do…_

The coldly logical part of her brain was screaming at her to STOP, but her damned primal instinct was pushing her further. Quatre lifted her off the ground and he lowered themselves down the nearest couch. Dorothy collapsed against him, looking up at him with heavy-lidded eyes clouded with love. Quatre could just make out the desire etched on her features through his blurry green eyes. He gave a satisfied smirk. There was no turning back now.

_One last time… A woman is allowed one last time with her husband… Even though she needs to divorce him… _Dorothy assured herself. And that was the last clear thought she had before she pulled him closer, her fingernails leaving crescent-shaped marks on his back. _Love me Quatre… Fill me with hopes that you are truly mine, and mine alone…_

Author's Notes: OOH!! A naughty Quatre!! I have seen this done in other fics and I wanted to do it too!! Seme-like Quatre, LOL!!!!!!


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes: **Read on!!

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. DOH.

Four Weddings and a Divorce 

Chapter 2:

_Tch, weak woman. You infuriate me._

Dorothy hated herself. She had lost once again. Quatre Raberba Winner has once again proven, that she could never resist him.

He was doing the one thing he does so well after a wild roll in the sack (couch, whatever..), and that was sleeping.Dorothy rolled her eyes and she couldn't help but smile. He was adorable. He may be the head of the Winner Corporation, the father of four—oh no, eight (Dorothy clenched her fists at the thought) and Dorothy's ultimate weakness, but he sleeps like a baby. Her angel. His green eyes were shut, his golden locks tumbling down his forehead and his mouth slightly parted. Her forked eyebrows suddenly shot up at that. _I hope he doesn't drool all over me…_

He stirred, nuzzling closer to her. Her heart ached… or maybe that's just the weight of his head between her breasts. Whatever. She loved him. She wanted him. She needed him. She had to leave him.

With great difficulty, she pushed him off her, praying all the while that he may not wake up. She shuddered to think of what will happen if he did. The vicious cycle would just repeat itself…

She picked up her clothes and carefully pulled them on. She had some difficulty with the zipper. _Damn, damn, damn. Note to self: Never wear dresses with zippers going down the back when visiting Quatre. _She suddenly felt cold all over when she realized what she just told herself. _No you foolish woman. Heck, wear them. Because you are not letting this… this thing with Quatre happen again. Yeah, what you said the last time._

She looked herself over in the full-length mirror he had installed in the office at her request. She combed her long silvery hair hurriedly. She looked a little mussed, but the appearance will have to do for now. She didn't have time to dally, lest he wake up. And muss her all over again. She was glad Quatre's office was soundproof. They weren't exactly the quietest couple when it came down to that.

She wanted to kiss him at least, but she forced herself to walk towards the door. "Goodbye, Quatre." She made sure to lock the door after her. He wasn't decent yet.

"Hey, Melissa!!" Came a loud voice with an American accent.

"Good afternoon, Mister Maxwell!! Good afternoon, Mister Barton!!" The secretary chirped.

Duo gave her a big smile. Trowa merely nodded.

"Is Dorothy there?" He asked, the green eye visible from underneath his hair shifting uncomfortably. The secretary knew what he meant.

"She just left a couple of hours ago, looking rather flushed and rumpled I must say!!" Melissa winked, and it was plain from the look on her face that she wouldn't mind if her employer's friends rumple her a little as well. She was always like this; perhaps she still hoped that like him, Quatre's friends could take several more wives. She was always trying to zero in on the former Gundam pilots. She would go after Quatre too, if not for Dorothy.

"Dorothy was here??!" Duo exclaimed. Melissa nodded. Duo let out a loud hoot and Trowa shook his head.

"Well, well, he keeps getting better and better." Duo commented as he opened the door. "Q-MAN!! Glad to see you—and looking decent too!!"

Quatre was sitting on his leather chair, his feet propped up on the desk. He gave them a mischievous smile.

"I heard you got your favorite wife laid again, huh??" Duo grinned.

Quatre's chest puffed up proudly and he replied cockily, "That's right—"

"Tsk," Trowa interjected. "You seduced her again."

"You can call it that, if you want, but—" He wagged a finger. "The fact that I was able to do it only means that she still loves me."

"Or maybe she just needed to release some heat." Trowa retorted.

"It's really none of your business," Quatre said, almost angrily.

"Hey!!" Duo cut in. He was here to discuss to his friends his cute little daughter's birthday, not watch them brawl. "Enough bickering."

"I'm trying hard to understand you, Quatre." Trowa murmured. "The whole world knows you love only Dorothy. Why did you marry three more times then?"

"Trowa," Quatre said in a manner one states an obvious fact. "It's tradition."

"In your culture, yes. You're Arabian. But Dorothy is a European aristcocrat. You can't expect her to accept polygamy."

"But…" Quatre looked confused. "If she really loved me, she'd understand."

"If she didn't love you, she wouldn't bother on trying to make you hers alone." Trowa countered.

"My other wives understand—"

"Quatre, they have to. You're the one that keeps their businesses secure. And you can get their children a hefty chunk of your fortune. It's nothing more than a business deal."

"She's my first wife, she can order them around—"

"And that's about the only thing she remotely likes in the arrangement." Trowa told him flatly.

"You know she's the only one I love." Quatre said.

"Why don't you show her that then?" Trowa demanded.

"Trowa, don't scold me." Quatre said coldly. "You can't still be after my wife, can you, I mean, you can only marry once and you already have Catherine—"

"Don't accuse me of that, Winner!!!" Trowa shouted.

"Whoa, men! Chill!" Duo finally stood in between them. "Trowa, let him do what he wants, it's his life! Quatre, you're lucky Hilde babe isn't here or she'd try again to skin you alive. Now on to business!! Roxanne's big day!!"

But Trowa was already headed out the door of the door.

"Trowa!!" Duo called. He turned to Quatre, an apologetic look on his face.. "Sorry Quatre, I guess we'll go ahead. I'll see you man!!" He followed Trowa out the door.

"Okay," Quatre sighed. _Nobody understands…_

Author's Notes: Wokay!! Whatta conflict!! Just to make things clear, I am not implying that Trowa has a thing for Dorothy, rather, I am just showing the usual disapproval that someone not accustomed to different customs will naturally have. Trowa and Catherine are Dorothy's friends too, y'know… Seeing as she's not the "woman who cannot cry" anymore…


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes: **And now, to spice things up…

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. DOH. The OCs and plot are though.

Four Weddings and a Divorce 

Chapter 3:

"WHAT??!"

"I said you shall be taking on Mrs. Winner's case. Or rather, Miss Catalonia, as she prefers to be called." Anton McVaughn declared in a no nonsense tone.

Gerard Thompson scratched his dark hair and suppressed a very unprofessional groan. "Is that the multibillionaire European princess who wants to divorce the multibillionaire Arabian prince because he won't make her his only wife??!"

"It is." Anton wheezed, nodding his ancient head.

"You can't be serious!!!"

"I am very serious, Mister Thompson."

Gerard stuttered. "B-bu-but, why—"

"We don't get along very well," Anton said bluntly. "She is too demanding, too persistent and too impatient. She needs someone with more… energy."

_You mean someone who isn't a sour-faced, lazy fossil like you… _Gerard's dark eyebrows drew into a frown, his stormy blue eyes grew dark. "Why me?"

"Why not a promising young lawyer with a grand slam record?" Anton said. "The money is more than worth it…"

"Is she that loaded?"

"If you are referring to her plentiful funds then I must say she is. And her pre-nuptial agreement with the Arabian promises much more."

"I'm not too sure about this…" Gerard shook his head.

"It does not matter, Mister Thompson. The firm gave you this job. You do not have a choice." With those words, Anton hobbled out of Gerard Thompson's office.

"Why me??" Gerard repeated.

_Humph, figures… _Gerard scowled. _Two old grouches can't get along…_

_I am so sure of what this Mrs. Winner—or rather, Miss Catalonia is. An ancient, wrinkly prune that has lost all her beauty despite all the money she spends on "beautifying" herself. She probably can't stand how her husband is replacing her with a bunch of young, fertile, beautiful women. And how they bear more children for Winner and cut the precious share of her own children. An insecure old witch._

The door of his office suddenly swung open and banged against the wall. _How rude!! Who is this arrogant person who didn't even knock—_

The thought was left hanging.

A beautiful woman glided in. _Snow Queen… _Gerard stared at her, mesmerized. Fine, silken strands of white gold fell about her shoulders and down her back in a shiny waterfall. She fixed him a look and he felt shocked; like he was thrown in a frozen lake. Drowning. Such an icy blue, so deep… it didn't help that a pair of most distinctive blond eyebrows arched from above those marvelous eyes. Her skin—pure white snow. _Beautiful. _Gerard swallowed a lump in his throat.

"I am Dorothy Catalonia." The lovely creature uttered.

_What??! _"D-d-dorothy Winner??!" Gerard sputtered, feeling more than a little surprised. _This??! The woman whose husband had the nerve to take multiple wives??!_

She looked a little offended. "I would prefer being called Dorothy Catalonia."

"Oh, of course… I apologize, Miss Catalonia." Gerard said sincerely.

Dorothy acknowledged his apology with a nod. "I am looking for Mister Gerard Thompson."

"That would be me, Miss Catalonia." Gerard said, starting to get over his initial shock.

Dorothy smiled, turning on the charm she had learned to use as head of the Romefeller and wife of the Winner heir. "I am looking forward to working with you, Mister Thompson. I do hope you prove to be capable than Mister Vaughn." She extended a pale hand at Gerard.

_Frank and unpretentious. _Gerard appreciated that in people. He clasped her hand and gave it a professional shake, although his touch lingered a little longer than necessary. "I will not disappoint you, Miss Catalonia."

"Now, that we are acquainted, I wish to make a request."

"What is it?"

"Please bombard Mister Winner with copies of the divorce papers. I am hoping that he will soon get around to signing them."

"As you wish, Miss Catalonia." Gerard gave a little chuckle. "Although, I can see why he's in no hurry to sign them. It must be very hard for a man to have to let you go, Miss Catalonia." As soon as he said those words he regretted them. _Good work, Gerard, you and your big mouth. _He hoped she wouldn't think he was a flirt and a flatterer.

Dorothy smiled and Gerard relaxed. "Why, that must be a compliment! Thank you. Well, if you will excuse me Mister Thompson, I must be off for now."

"Until next time, Miss Catalonia." He opened the door for her.

"Until next time." Dorothy said.

Gerard smiled to himself as he closed the door. Well, Miss Catalonia was nothing like he expected. He expected an evil old witch and he got a charming beautiful princess instead. She was certainly not the type who would let a man take her for granted. As no man should. _No wonder Mister Winner wouldn't sign those divorce papers… I understand now, upon seeing the wife in question. I'll make sure he signs them and soon…_

"A stroke of luck, finally," Gerard said aloud to himself. "I get to work in close proximity with Miss Catalonia and I have a chance to impress her by putting down a successful divorce. In between that, I just might have the chance to woo her…"

Indeed, he was lucky.

**Author's Notes: **Whoo-hoo-hoo!!! I love this!! Dorothy is usually the one that ends up rolling in jealousy and pain in 4D fanfics, I think it's about time she gets some fun too…


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes: **Continue, please?

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. DOH. Plot and OCs are mine, thankyouverymuch.

Four Weddings and a Divorce 

Chapter Four:

He tossed his tousled gold hair off his green eyes with a shake of his head. He looked from his older twin brothers to his little sister and sighed. "This is a bad idea and you know it."

Yossef looked at his younger brother's reflection in the mirror and cocked a forked eyebrow at him. "Relax Ezra," he said in a soothing voice.

"How can I relax??!" Ezra demanded. "We sneaked away from Rashid. You're under aged and you're driving a car. We picked up Wendy from her school. We're driving over to Dad's—all these without telling anyone. Mom will have our hides tanned when we get home."

Yossef sighed and looked sideways at his younger twin seated at the passenger seat.

Yehan turned to Ezra with cold blue eyes, looking rather annoyed. "If you don't want to come then get out of here!!" The younger twin snapped.

"No way, I have to stay and make sure nothing happens to Wendy!!" Ezra declared, looking down at the wide blue-green eyes staring up at him He hugged his seven year-old sister protectively.

"Yeah right, you just want to see Dad." Yehan snorted.

"………"

"I want to see Daddy." Wendy pulls at Ezra's sleeve, still looking up at him with her blue-green eyes.

"Don't worry, Wendy, we will see Dad." Yossef said.

"Even though Ezra is being such an ass about it." Yehan muttered.

They were right of course. _I do want to see Dad again. It must have been a month since we last saw him… _Ezra looked out the window wistfully. When their mother goes to their Dad to give him the divorce papers, she goes alone. The first time, he and his siblings went with her, but something happened… their Dad was whispering in their Mom's ear and she looked ready to both kill him and kiss him. She grabbed them all and left in a hurry. Since then, she went alone…

Of course they were allowed to see their father on weekends, but they usually opted to stay with their Mom. It's not exactly a good time to leave someone alone while she is going through divorce, their mom gets so lonely… and their dad did have other kids and wives to keep him preoccupied… Ezra looked down at his fists and found them clenched tightly together. He relaxed his hands and leaned back on the seat lazily.

A few minutes later, Yossef was already turning the car unto the long, wide driveway of the Winner Manor.

"Yay, we're here!!" Wendy cried joyfully.

Yossef stopped the car in front of the mansion and honked the horn. Ezra carried Wendy and followed the twins to the big door.

"Hurry up, open already." Yehan complained.

"Masters and the little Miss!!" Ali exclaimed and bowed. "What a pleasant surprise. Where is Rashid?"

Ezra glared at his brother. "He's not here Ali. My brothers thought it would be good to go here by ourselves."

"Oh my!!" Ali's eyes widened. "Mistress Dorothy must be worried!! I shall tell her you're here—"

"Wait Ali!!" Yehan cried. "Let us go to Dad first. If you tell Mom right now that we're here, she'll just panic and send over Rashid to drag us back to Catalonia Manor before we have even reached Dad's study. I can guarantee that."

Ali looked at them doubtfully. "But—"

"Please, Ali Baba!!" Wendy pleaded, a puppy-dog look in her blue-green eyes.

Ali looked at Wendy and sighed. How can anyone refuse the little darling? "Oh alright, you youngsters always get the best of me."

Ali and the kids walked over to Quatre's study. "Open it!!" Wendy cried with glee.

Ali chuckled then said; "Open Sesame!!" At the same time he opened the door with a flourish. "Master Quatre, the chil—" The kids burst in the room excitedly.

"DAD!!!" The boys shouted.

"Daddy!!" Wendy shrieked happily.

"Yossef, Yehan!! Ezra!! And my little Wendy!!" Quatre ran over his children and gathered them all in a hug.

Ezra squirmed uncomfortably, loosening Quatre's arm around him. "Wendy missed you, Dad." He let his father take the little girl.

Quatre tickled Wendy's chin. "My, I'm surprised Dorothy took the time to bring you here."

Yossef and Yehan gave each other a look, Ezra sighed and Wendy's eyes widened knowing that they did something that wasn't right.

Quatre looked at his kids. "… Well… your mother's not here, is she?"

Yossef bit his lip. "Well, Dad—"

Yehan had the same expression as his twin. "You see—"

"No, she's not here." Ezra cut in.

"Do you want her here, Dad?" Wendy asked. "I want her here. I want both of you here."

Quatre regarded his daughter with a sad look in his face. "Of course I want your Mommy here, child. I really want her here… I miss her."

"So," Quatre forced his voice into some semblance of cheerfulness. "What could be so important as to make you children come here alone, without telling your mother too?"

"Oh, that…" Yossef began looking at Yehan and Ezra as if for support. Yehan gave his twin a little nudge on the ribs. Ezra remained silent. Yossef was the eldest and it was mainly his idea. He should do the talking.

Yossef cleared his throat. "Well, Dad, you haven't signed those divorce papers yet, have you??"

"Of course not son, I would never sign those papers." Quatre replied.

"Well, why don't you sign them Dad??" Yehan piped up.

Quatre gave Yehan an incredulous look. "Huh?"

Yossef and Ezra glared at Yehan. _Idiot…_

"Dad, what he meant is… maybe, you should sign those papers… for now."

"What??!"

"Just sign them for now." Yossef repeated.

Quatre looked disappointed. "… I thought you children wanted your mother and I together…"

"We do!!" The twins cried.

"Of course we do!!" Ezra said at the same time.

"I want Mommy and Daddy back!!" Wendy whimpered.

Quatre was confused now. "Then why…"

"Because we want you together, that's why!!" Ezra rolled his eyes. "Not signing just makes Mom angrier at you and more determined to battle this out with her. And… Dad, you don't know how Mom is obsessing over it, you know how she feels like when she thinks she's not getting something done…"

His mother's sad face would forever be etched in Ezra's memory. _"Quatre does not care enough about me to think about my happiness…"_

"I know…" Quatre said guiltily.

"Well, Dad, you can sign under the provisions that you will go to court with her, but instead of negotiating terms of divorce with her, you will be _against _the divorce. She gets to go on the legal battle with you as she wants… then you can do stuff, stall her—don't let her win!!"

"She'll be so impatient she'll finally give it up. And she'll go back to you because that's what she really wants."

Quatre sighed. "That's easy to say, but…"

"Please Dad, I don't like seeing Mom sad—either of you sad." Ezra begged. "It has to be resolved now and that involves going to court. Besides, the law—"

"Yeah, that's right the thing." Yossef gestured.

"They say if you don't respond to her case soon, she can charge you with something else. That would just cause more trouble and she can use it against you to get the divorce."

_They're right… _Quatre looked at his sons, his heart welling with pride. How can his thirteen year-old twin sons and their twelve year-old brother be so wise? _It is wrong to drag my feet… it's just that, I hate fighting with Dorothy in any way… And this time, she'll be stabbing me right through the heart…_

"Think about it Dad." Yehan said. "You sign. You two go court. Then one way or another, you can force her to pay you a visit, and you know…" The younger twin wiggled his unusual eyebrows suggestively.

Quatre raised an eyebrow sternly. "What are you implying, young man?"

"Oh come on Dad." Yehan rolled his eyes. "Whenever Mom is forced to come to your office, divorce papers at hand, you somehow get to consummate the marriage."

Quatre's jaw dropped open in pure shock.

Yossef laughed. Ezra couldn't help but laugh despite himself.

"Why are you laughing??" Wendy looked up from looking through their Dad's pockets and stared at her brothers.

Quatre finally found his voice again. "Boys!!" He looked outraged and his normally pale face was an interesting crimson shade.

Yossef rolled his eyes. "Dad, we weren't born yesterday. You and Mom already gave us the talk. We know, okay, we know."

A rare serious expression settled on Yehan's face. "But Dad, the point is, the court will see she willingly keeps up relationships with you. They won't grant her a divorce if your lawyer is good enough…"

"We know he is…" Ezra said admiringly. Mister Chlumsky was one of the Winner Corporation's lawyers and the one that handles Quatre's legal affairs as well. Everyone knew he was one of the best.

Quatre didn't know what to say. "………."

"Dad, what's consum… consu-wait?" Wendy asked.

"You mean consummate?" Yehan said.

"AHEM—" Quatre cleared his throat loudly. "Anyway…"

"Sounds like a plan, right??" Yossef said.

"Who thought of this?" Quatre asked.

"The twins did." Ezra said.

"Not without your help of course!!" Yossef said.

"Yeah!!" Yehan enthused, grabbing Ezra and rubbing his knuckles on the latter's head. "The little prick is good for something after all!!"

"Ouch!!" Ezra complained, struggling to throw off Yehan.

"Ezra, having already set himself on being a lawyer, looked up divorce cases." Yossef explained. "After all, why not start on a personally relevant study, eh?"

"Yeah!! And he told us about the relations thingy!!" Yehan chirped.

Quatre glanced a wary glance at his (much to his relief) confused daughter. "Okay, okay, I get the picture," he said before Yehan could say anymore.

The door swung open. "Excuse me Master Quatre, the delivery personnel have come." Said Ali.

"I see. I will be down in a minute." Quatre puts down Wendy. "I will be back soon." He stepped out of the study.

A tiny face peeked from the door. Ali motioned to it, "Do not disturb your siblings, Master Albert."

"Albert!!" Wendy cried.

"It's okay, Ali." Yossef said.

"C'mere, Albert!" Yehan called.

Their four year-old half-brother came in, looking timidly up at them. Yehan grabbed him and rubbed his knuckles on Albert's head. "Long time no see, squirt!!"

"Ow!!" Albert cried.

"Stop that!!" Dorothy yelled at her older brother. The twins laughed. Yossef bent down to ruffle Albert's hair fondly. Ezra merely watched them, an indifferent look on his face.

"Say hi to Ezra, Albert."

"Hi older brother." Albert said shyly.

_He's about as bright as his dim-witted mother, Sera. _"Hi." Ezra muttered.

While Wendy and Yehan entertained themselves with Albert, Yossef took Ezra aside. "Ezra," Yossef reprimanded quietly. "You're so cold towards our other siblings."

"… Say whatever you want, but it's difficult for me to accept them as siblings." Ezra told him loudly.

"Hey!!" Yehan exclaimed angrily.

"They're Dad's children too." Yossef told Ezra.

"But…" Ezra looked at Albert. He looked just like his mother, the fourth wife. He had hair the same sickening shade of blond the color of straw, nothing like the silvery blond glory that was Dorothy Catalonia's hair. And Albert had the same dull blue eyes too, nowhere as vibrant as the ice blues the twins inherited from their beautiful mother. _Tch, they both look stoned, mother and son. _Ezra smirked.

"They don't have mother's blood." Ezra said, referring to Albert and their three other half-siblings.

Yossef shook his head. "That's so European…"

"You're awful, Ezra!!" Yehan declared. "We're still siblings!!"

By this time, Wendy has realized that something was very wrong between her brothers and whatever the dispute may be, it involved her little half-brother. She hugged Albert.

"I can hear shouting from way down the hallway." Quatre said. "Why are you fighting?"

"Dad, Ezra is being difficult!!" Yehan announced.

_Idiot… _Yossef elbowed his twin. "Well, Dad, you see—"

"Will you please leave right now, I want to have a talk with my siblings and my father." Ezra told Albert coldly.

Albert looked about ready to cry. "But—"

"Leave—now!!" Ezra barked before Quatre or his siblings could stop him. "My mother has more authority than your mother!! When my mother talks, your mother runs!! I expect you to do the same!! Now run back to Sera!!"

Albert whimpered like a kicked puppy and ran out the study.

"YOU BASTARD!!" Yehan screamed. Yossef restrained him from punching Ezra. Wendy had clung on to their father, frightened at Ezra's and Yehan's sudden outbursts.

"Why did you do that to your brother, Ezra…" Quatre asked looking disappointed and sad.

Ezra was looking on the floor, his face shadowed by his tousled blond hair. "Dad… I kinda understand why Mom does this…"

"What do you mean?" Quatre whispered.

He looked up, staring at Quatre, his own green eyes mirroring the sadness and disappointment on Quatre's face. "It's hard enough for me to share you Dad, even with the twins and Wendy, being the middle child and all. It's even harder for me to have to share you with our half-siblings."

A look of pain crossed Quatre's face. "Ezra—"

"Dad, what about Mom??" The boy continued. "All her lady friends don't have to share their husbands and all her gentlemen friends have only one wife."

Quatre tried to explain again. "Ezra, that's because—"

"Don't be stupid, Ezra, it's tradition." Yehan hissed.

"Mom's friends are mostly Europeans, or at least, non-Mideasterns…" Yossef said quietly.

"You, Wendy!!" Yehan said sharply. "Do you mind Dad having other wives?? That we have other siblings."

"No." Wendy replied, her innocent aquamarine eyes looking upset. "I love Albert and the other babies…"

"You see??" Yehan snarled. "Aren't you ashamed that our baby sister has more maturity than you??!"

"Master!!" Ali burst in the room, oblivious of the tension. "Rashid is here!! Mistress Dorothy was quicker than we thought. I haven't even called yet—"

"We're leaving, goodbye." Ezra plucked Wendy off Quatre and strode purposefully out the study.

"But I want to play with Albert!!" Came Wendy's voice as Ezra carried her down the hall.

"We'll play with Mom."

"Bye Dad." Yossef said. "Sorry about Ezra."

Yehan scowled. "He can be such an ass—"

"Yehan!!" Quatre scolded.

"Okay, okay, I'll clean my mouth!!" Yehan promised.

"Goodbye…" Quatre murmured sadly as he watched them walk out the door.

Author's Notes: Ohohohohoh!!! o Lovely kids, ne? I'll bet some of you are freaking mad at Ezra now who happens to be my personal fave . He gets better. You'll see. By the way I am aware that there is also an "other woman" in the 4D "Love Will Not Die" at Story ID: 903311 fic named "Sera" but this Sera is different. She's not even my OC, really, I just took the little stiff-haired, ugly witch bitch from Suikoden 3 and plunked her in the Gundam universe.


	6. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes: **At first it seemed that nobody liked 4D fics. Then I looked at the reviews and each one made me feel so guilty, I finally worked my ass off on this one. - This here is a mega-update… sort of. Anyway, I'll continue this now. Just to recap: 1R, 2H, 3C, 4D and 5M have hooked up.

swt xbytchy bebz: Thanks dear. - Really, I'm the only one who likes these couples? sigh I guess people keep insisting on Midii and Sally—while we're of the opinion that Cathy and Meiran are the only way to go!! Yeah!!!

Vega03: Hell yeah!! XD I'd be like, a fangirl of Ezra if he weren't a figment of my imagination. P

recoverfromassociation: It's just my opinion, I really don't like Midii. - Well, there will be some stuff later that will address your concerns—but not in this update yet, I'm sorry. And yes, I do think that the Arabian-polygamy issue is one that is hardly discussed, if ever that's why I felt the need to write about it. As for citrusy scenes… that was my first EVER citrusy piece of writing. -; It just seemed kind of weird not to have any, because they are married and I think any 4D fan KNOWS that when they do get together, there will be a lot of passion. Since they're both so repressed and reserved, all that pent-up emotion need some release!! XD

Angel of Mirth: Ooh, thank you!! I was so afraid that the citrusy chapter wasn't good since that was my first time writing it. Yes, please keep reading!! And no, I am not annoyed about anything; I just didn't have the time to update!! So sorry!! Thank you for pointing out that I don't have my e-mail address on my page, I gotta change that. -

**Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. I'll ban the mix-and-match couple doujins otherwise. People, make up your minds!! Shounen-ai doesn't belong in a shounen anime especially the really odd ones, I mean 34 fine, but 13 eh?. I feel sorry for the shounen fans who like it for the honest-to-goodness shounen part of it.**

Four Weddings And A Divorce 

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****

**Chapter 5:**

She was standing in the receiving chamber of Catalonia manor, waiting for her wayward children.

"Where have you been??!"

Despite having reached their mother's height and still growing, the twins suddenly felt much, much smaller as Dorothy stood in the front of them, her hands on her hips. Ezra winced at the rage in her voice and tightened his arms around Wendy, who clung unto his shirtfront.

Yehan dared. "Mother, we—"

"Do not answer me, Yehan Joseph Catalonia Winner!!" Dorothy said in a stern tone. "It was a rhetorical question."

Yossef elbowed Yehan's ribs. It must have hurt for the younger twin's eyes bulged and his mouth was contorted in a silent howl.

"Sorry," Yehan mumbled.

"How could you skip classes, take Wendy even _and then_ steal the car and drive to Winner Manor?" Dorothy ranted. "Whose idea was this?!"

Yossef took a deep breath and raised his hand. "Mine."

Dorothy had fixed a hard look at Yehan and was surprised to hear Yossef speak. Her head whipped towards him. "Yossef??"

Yossef looked down, unable to meet her disappointed ice blue eyes with his own ice blue stare.

"How did you get the car from Rashid?"

The three younger Winner children looked expectantly at Yossef. He suppressed a sigh.

"While he was in the parking lot waiting for our classes to finish, Yehan came to him. He said he left his homework at home. Rashid started the car but before he could leave, Ezra came and handed him a notice about getting a new car sticker. He went to the school offices and then I came with Wendy, whom I had fetched from the elementary division. Then we left."

"And who was driving?" Dorothy inquired imperiously.

"… I was." Yossef said.

"John Yossef Catalonia Winner!!" Dorothy cried. "I expected more from you."

The first-born hung his head in shame.

"And what have you to say for yourself, Ezrael Catalonia Winner?" Dorothy turned to Ezra.

"M-mom…" Ezra stammered. "I only went along because I wanted to make sure that nothing happened to Wendy…"

"Is that so?" Dorothy shook her head. "Did it not occur to you that stopping your brothers' scheme was the best way to ensure your sister's safety?"

Like Yossef, Ezra suddenly took interest in staring at the floor.

"Maria Gwendolyn, did you know that you were doing something wrong?" Dorothy looked at her daughter.

Wendy could not speak; she only nodded 'yes', her blue-green eyes full of tears.

"Mother is very disappointed. Wendy has promised to be a good girl, but Wendy did something she knew was wrong."

Wendy sniffed, but still managed to hold back her tears.

"Do you know how worried I have been?"

Dorothy was clutching at her heart and her shoulders were slumped. She hugged herself, as if trying to protect herself from something. She looked less like the willful, collected princess that everybody knew her to be and more like a frightened and lonely woman. But that can't be, this was their mother, Dorothy Catalonia Winner. That can't be, right?

Ezra looked up at his mother guiltily, his earnest green eyes sad. Wendy's tiny mouth was turned down at the corners and she started to cry. Yossef looked even more disgraced; even Yehan was sober and properly ashamed.

_We have let Mom down…_

"Mom, we're really sorry." Ezra said.

"I'll be more responsible." Yossef promised.

Yehan took a deep breath, looking like what he was about to do next took a lot of effort. "I'm sorry Mom. I'll try harder… not to be such an insensitive jerk."

"Oh Yehan," Dorothy hugged him and also took Yossef, Ezra and Wendy in her arms. "Yossef, Ezra… and little Wendy…"

"Sorry Mommy." Wendy sniffled.

"Just don't do that again next time, okay?" Dorothy hugged them tighter.

"We won't do it again, Mom." The boys chorused.

"I'll be good, Mommy!!" Wendy wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

"Okay then…" Dorothy nodded. "That's good…"

Rashid stood by the door leading to the grand hallway of the mansion, a teacart beside him. He had been watching the scene discreetly for at least five minutes, waiting patiently for the lady and the children to compose themselves. His heart went out to them.

The Winner children were like his own grandchildren and he loved Dorothy with the same paternal love he held for Quatre. Two decades ago, he sought to do everything in his power to keep Dorothy Catalonia away from Quatre Winner. But by serving her since her marriage to Quatre, Rashid came to know her and was eternally grateful that his master found her, a woman worthy of him. As a matter of fact, so loyal did he become towards Dorothy that he left with her when she went to Catalonia manor. He did not even consult Quatre, but he had the inkling that Quatre wanted him to do this for Dorothy anyway.

It was difficult for Rashid to see Dorothy Catalonia Winner; Romefeller princess, loving wife, caring mother and child of his heart, in such a state.

Rashid saw Dorothy straighten up, once more bringing up her calm, utterly collected façade and it was then that he made his presence known.

"Tea, Madam?"

The mother and children turned to the Arabian. Dorothy smiled at him. It was late for tea, but Dorothy had a love for tea and dainty foods that she passed on to her children. Right now, Dorothy really wanted quiche. "Tea sounds lovely, Rashid. I trust that there is a platter of hors de oeuvres at hand?"

When Rashid nodded, the twins grinned at each other. Dorothy caught it and added, "Just a single platter Rashid, I wouldn't want to spoil their appetites." The twins exchanged disappointed looks and Dorothy shook her head. Those boys would make a meal of appetizers if they had their way, but they were growing boys and Dorothy would make sure they eat a proper dinner!

Five minutes later, they were in the gazebo in the middle of the lovely flower garden. Rashid and Wendy's nanny, Bertha, were having tea as well in another gazebo, giving Dorothy and her children private family time while still being close at hand should their assistance be needed.

Yehan was telling a funny story of how his class' new student teacher at United Earth Academy was being terrorized by the extremely scholarly Chang Mei-Ling. Yossef and Ezra were laughing heartily, Li-Li—as they called Mei-Ling—was a friend of theirs but she _was_ a real nerd. Dorothy chuckled; since being of school age, Wufei and Meiran's daughter quickly became infamous for having inherited her father's academic drive and taking it to new heights. Wendy was too young to appreciate Yehan's account, but bubbled with laughter just the same, contented to bask in the warm glow of her family's good spirits.

Or almost-complete-family rather, her daddy wasn't there.

She swung her legs; the soles of her patent-leather school shoes brushed the gazebo floor as she did so. If her daddy were here, she would be sitting on his lap instead of the wicker chair and she would be higher up that her toes wouldn't even be close to brushing the floor.

"I wish Daddy were here," Wendy piped up. "Then we'd be complete and there would be more laughter and Daddy would put me on his lap and hold hands with Mommy and cuddle with Daddy and we'd be so happy…" Her words trailed off and she looked at the now less-than-happy faces around her.

"Oh baby…" Wendy reached out one delicate hand and stroked her daughter's golden hair, a very interesting mixture of both silvery-blond and golden-blond strands. "Mommy and Daddy… we aren't together anymore. You know that."

"B-but why?" Wendy said in her childish stutter. "Don't you miss him, Mommy?"

"Darling, I do…" Dorothy swept of her chair and kneeled in front of the little girl's seat. "But… Mommy had to leave Daddy… because it seems to Mommy that Daddy doesn't really love her."

Wendy shook her head, and the twins shook theirs vehemently as well. Ezra stared at their mother with a sad expression on his face.

"No Mommy, Daddy loves you. He misses you too, he told Wendy!!" The seven year-old insisted.

Dorothy sighed. "Sweetheart… Sometimes grown-ups marry… and then after some time they realize that one of them… doesn't love the other in the way for the marriage to work."

"What do you mean Mommy?" Wendy's brows scrunched together. It was never fully explained to her why her parents separated.

"Wendy…" Dorothy didn't know how to explain all of it to her youngest child. She spared a quick glance at her sons, all of them looked worried. Her brothers knew everything of course, but Wendy was just too young… "For Mommy, a marriage is between two people only… Just your Daddy and me. But your Daddy… he… has a different idea of it. I tried… but I can't accept it. A marriage for me can't have other women and their children in it. My dear daughter," Dorothy placed her hands on her daughter's cheeks, locking Wendy's gaze to hers. "I need your father to be my partner alone… I need to be his only wife, and he didn't love me enough to give me that. So I had to leave him."

Some comprehension washed over her innocent eyes. "Mommy… So if you're his only wife—if the other babies' mommies aren't there—then you would go and be with Daddy again? We'd be family again?"

Dorothy nodded. The look in her eyes and the hurt in her voice broke her sons' hearts. "Yes Wendy. But your father would never do that—he would never do that for me."

Yehan stood up, overturning his teacup, and stepped towards his mother to envelop her in a fierce hug. His ice-blue eyes were blazing with cold fire and he spoke in harsh tones. "Mom, Dad is an idiot. He doesn't realize that he's losing the best woman in the world because of his stubbornness."

Not one of the siblings were surprised at Yehan's sudden change of heart towards their father's taking of other women. They were used to his fickleness by now. Besides, the Winner children now saw just how much it hurt their mother. That alone was enough for them to ditch the traditional Arabian way. Their mother _deserved_ a one-woman man if that's what she wanted.

Yossef also went to hug their mother, using his silk handkerchief to dab at the steady streams of tears now flowing from her eyes. "Mom, he knows he would never find anyone who can compare to you. He will do what is right soon enough, he will prove his love to you—I just know it."

"Mommy you're the most beautiful woman in the entire world," Wendy whole-heartedly declared as she threw her arms around her mother and her two eldest brothers. "And you're the best Mommy too."

Ezra just stood at the side of the huddle, not joining in. Instead he said simply, "I'll do anything for you Mom."

_Even if I have to see this family split in two._

**Author's Notes again :** Ezrael Catalonia Winner… My favorite OC for this fic. ) He is such a messed up kid, but he is a dear sweet boy underneath it all.


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's Notes: **Another chapter?

**Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. If it were, there would have been more 4D interaction, 3C wouldn't have been siblings, 5M would have remained I mean, why kill Meiran? and just more love going around in general.**

Four Weddings And A Divorce 

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****

**Chapter 6:**

"Good morning." Dorothy breezed through the doors of the conference room for Winner Corporation's Board of Directors, followed by Lila, her secretary and personal assistant. 

Quatre was at the head of the long table, typing on his handheld computer. "Good morning my love." His countenance visibly lit up at her presence but Dorothy chose to ignore that and his greeting—which everyone in the room undoubtedly heard—cursing the blush that crept up her fair skin because of it. She simply settled herself comfortably on the seat to his right.

Lila sat behind her, on the chairs that lined the sides of the room, disappearing into the background. She was very adept at that, keeping out of her employer's way, making herself conspicuous only when Dorothy needed her. Dorothy liked that and the quiet little brunette enjoyed exorbitant annual raises.

"Good morning, Mrs. Winner!" The polar opposite of Lila, the too-cheerful secretary of Quatre exclaimed loudly, looking up from her frantic rearranging of the files for today's meeting.

Dorothy shot Melissa a smile of such uncharacteristic saccharine sweetness that it would have sent anyone who knew better running for the opposite direction. Not Melissa of course, she merely smiled hugely in return.

The other people in the room gave Dorothy similar greetings. Fighting the urge to sigh at the way they addressed her, Dorothy responded politely. She was after all, in Quatre's turf, and to these people, she will always be his wife—his first wife.

She wouldn't have even appeared if she could help it. A pity her sons weren't old enough yet to take their rightful places in the board. Then she wouldn't have to attend in their stead.

"Good morning Mr. Winner, Ms. Catalonia." Chang Fei-Long greeted them as he went to his seat. Dorothy gave the firstborn Chang a dazzling smile. At eighteen, he was the youngest member of the board but he had learned quickly how to please the princess. Meiran trained him well.

Quatre folded his computer shut with a small click. He nudged his chair nearer to Dorothy's and leaned towards her. "Good morning my love," he breathed against her ear.

Dorothy had taken to tinkering with her own handheld, sending Rashid a shopping list for the maids and various other little instructions, more to keep herself busy than out of any real need to do so. She felt rather than heard Quatre and her pulse instantly quickened. She toyed with the idea of ignoring him until he gave up, but she knew Quatre and knew he wouldn't give up.

"Good morning Quatre," Dorothy replied without even looking at him.

This hardly satisfied Quatre and he decided to push her a little further. He blew at her neck, at the spot just below her ear, and at the same time his hand dropped under the table, unto her knee.

Dorothy nearly squealed, and she turned to glare furiously at him. His face was mere centimeters from her own and his green eyes were dark with emotion. Her blue eyes dilated instinctively and for a moment, all logical thought left her brain. He took the opportunity to trail his hand higher up her leg. Her next coherent thought was how Quatre seemed to resemble a predatory animal. _Escape._

Her slight reactions were not lost on Quatre and he anticipated her next move. As she bolted off her seat, he slid his hand down her leg in a deliberate motion. Flustered, she flounced away, heading for the bar on the far side of the room.

"Ma'am, let me do that for you," Lila materialized from the background and followed her to the bar.

"No need Lila," Dorothy said. She made herself coffee, quite a feat considering her hands were trembling.

"Shouldn't you be laying off on the caffeine, Catalonia? You're shaking enough as it is."

Dorothy turned to the owner of the voice, a sharp retort ready. The scowl melted off her face though and was replaced by a genuine smile. "Heero Yuy!"

"Yes indeed, did Einstein have to tell you that?" The former Gundam pilot smirked.

"Three complete sentences in the last fifteen seconds. You sound almost civilized." Dorothy said in a mock impressed tone.

Heero ignored the remark. "And that is your what, sixteenth cup?"

Just to spite, Dorothy grabbed a bottle of rum from the shelf and poured a generous amount into her cup.

"And alcohol too. Tsk, tsk."

Dorothy took a sip of her spiked coffee. "Don't worry about me, I have three chauffeurs. I don't drive."

"Of course not, princess, we wouldn't want you to sprain your delicate fingers with all that steering, now would we?"

"You'll always be an extraordinary jackass, Yuy."

"And you'll always be a royal bitch, Catalonia."

"It's good to see you."

"Likewise."

"So, what are you doing here?" Dorothy asked, pouring him some rum.

"D'Arcy has taken a leave." Heero referred to his and Relena's lawyer, Shinichi D'Arcy, who also represented them in the Board of Directors. "He says he's sick." Heero sounded almost disgusted at the thought of anyone taking a sick leave.

"Sucks to be you." Dorothy knew Heero hated these meetings. She handed him the rum, which he drank as if it were water.

"And you? I heard you've missed the meetings since… with Quatre… the—"

Dorothy rolled her eyes. "You mean since I filed for divorcing Quatre."

"Yeah, that." Heero poured himself another glass of rum and drank again. If he was going through with the damned meeting, he was going through it with a slight buzz, to hell with those stuffy corporates.

"Well, I couldn't very well just keep on neglecting my responsibilities. Twenty percent of Winner Corporation does belong to my children."

"You mean to you."

"No, my children. I already transferred everything I own in the Winner Corporation to them, I'll only handle it until they turn eighteen." Dorothy smiled. "One of them will own Winner Corporation one day—Yossef most likely—it is their right and I intend to make sure that happens." Her eyes cast about the room.

Heero followed Dorothy's gaze—it fell upon Quatre, or more accurately, the three other wives that are now present and surrounded Quatre. It is no secret that Dorothy didn't trust any of them; they would seize what they can of Winner Corporation if they could. They hardly owned anything in Winner Corporation and are only part of the Board out of formality.

"It's not the money though…" Heero murmured.

"Yes, it's definitely not about the money…" Dorothy sighed. "My children are the heirs to the Romefeller fortune after all. But I'll be damned if those hussies take one cent of my children's rightful property. They already stole Quatre from me, they will not steal anything else."

Heero looked at his once enemy and now lifetime friend. He considered telling her that she's the only one Quatre loved but she's heard it all before, and does it really help telling a wife she's her husband's only love when she's only one of his several wives? No, Heero decided, if that were the case then Dorothy wouldn't be divorcing Quatre. Personally, he found the thought of taking more than one wife abominable. He loved only Relena and she will be his one and only wife. Why then did Quatre do what he did? _This was the guy who would have died by Dorothy's hands with a smile on his face if it meant easing her pain. But he can't even commit._

This world was crazy.

"Catalonia, if somebody told me back when we were fifteen that one day, you would be hopelessly in love with Winner I would have shot them for insanity of the highest degree." Heero filled a third glass of rum.

"Uh-huh."

"Here's to the kid named Cupid."

Dorothy clinked her cup of coffee with Heero's glass, hurriedly gulped down the rest of her coffee and ran the back of her hand over her mouth, wiping at non-existent coffee smears. Only a certified princess could gulp with such finesse. She stalked towards her seat, Heero close at her heels.

"I suppose the meeting should begin now, seeing as we are all present." Dorothy's clear aristocratic voice carried clearly through the room. "If everybody would take their proper seats." She looked pointedly at Elirea, Quatre's second wife, who had the nerve sit on _her_ chair.

Elirea tried to give her a polite smile—it looked more like a grimace. Ill-disguised contempt reflected in her every move, she vacated Dorothy's seat and went to her own. Each of the three other wives knew better than to challenge Dorothy, being that she was Quatre's first wife and that she was one of the reigning queens of high society.

"Hello Dorothy," Kiki, the third wife smiled at her. Dorothy smiled back with seeming sincerity. Kiki was outwardly friendly and completely underhanded—capable of embracing one as a friend and then stab their back. Not that Kiki would ever win against Dorothy—the Romefeller princess had been born and bred in a world filled with such people after all.

"Good morning D-Dorothy…" Sera stammered. Dorothy nodded almost dismissively at the fourth wife. It didn't seem possible, but Sera's weakness infuriated her more than Elirea's contempt and Kiki's underhandedness—combined.

The lesser wives took their respective seats at the far end of the table. At Quatre's right sat Dorothy, Chang Fei-Long and Heero Yuy. At Quatre's other side sat Triton Bloom, Catherine's brother and representing Trowa and Catherine Barton, and Spencer Davidson who represented several L2 stockholders, including Duo Maxwell and Hilde Schbeiker. The other people in the room also took their respective seats.

And thus the meeting was put into order, for everyone in the Winner Corporation knows—when Quatre Winner talks, everyone listens, but when Dorothy Catalonia-Winner talks, you have to _act._

As the Executive Secretary, Triton Bloom stood up and began the meeting. It went quite smoothly, Triton did most of the presentation, with Melissa helping him. Quatre would interrupt with a few relevant notes every now and then, while Dorothy would clarify any points that would possibly come across as unclear to the other members of the board. It was hard to tell how much the others understood, only Fei-Long and Kiki contributed to the discussion for the most part.

"We need a more efficient means of handling the Shibuye account," Triton said. "The team is falling behind on schedule."

"It's a small-scale managerial problem," Kiki scoffed. "Why is this being presented to the Board?"

Before Triton could speak, Dorothy addressed Kiki. "The Shibuye is one of our biggest clients," she said in deliberate tones, disguising her smirk with a little smile. "They contribute an average of 9.93 to our annual profits. Please refer to your folder."

There was a loud rustling as everyone who has yet to open their copy of the records did so—and that would mean nearly every person in the room. Kiki threw Dorothy a fake smile and opened her folder. Dorothy fought the urge to throw her hands up in exasperation. Triton did not compile the figures just so they could sit idly on the table—or be used as a placemat. Dorothy glared at Heero, who pointedly ignored her as he gulped his rum and set down the glass on his folder, which already had several moist circles on it.

"Well said…" Quatre whispered to Dorothy, as he discreetly ran his fingers down the silken sheet of hair that fell past her shoulders.

Dorothy flipped her hair back and raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't patronize me." She kicked his shin when he nudged her ankle with his foot.

"As Mrs. Winner said, the Shibuye account is one of our biggest," Triton said. "That's why the team leader brought the problem to the board's attention. He asked for more people to do the job."

Heero shook his head. "It's his job to find a more efficient means of operation." Under his breath he added, "Lazy git."

"What if he simply needed more people?" Elirea rolled her eyes. "It's not like we can't afford it."

Dorothy swore under her breath for two reasons, Elirea's material girl logic being the first. And the second was because Quatre had managed to scoot closer to her and was now running one hand lazily up and down her leg. When she squirmed, he held her firmly with his hand. It was amazing how he could manage to do such things in the middle of a very important business meeting without being noticed. Or maybe everyone had just gotten used to them in their fourteen years of marriage. She snatched her purse off the table and plopped it on her lap to prevent his hand from traveling to indecent heights.

"We don't need to expand our human resources," Fei-Long declared.

Sera had been staring blankly at whoever was talking, looking even more idiotic than usual. When she opened her mouth to speak, she caused nearly everyone to gape. "Human resources? What do you mean by that?"

Dorothy cringed and Quatre actually stopped his caresses—out of the corner of her eye, Dorothy could see that he was cringing as well.

Fei-Long looked ready to wail about the injustice of stupid people being put in major corporate boards. Heero filled his glass nearly to the brim and drank it all in one gulp. Spencer was obviously fighting a smirk. Everyone else had expressions ranging from shock to disgust to amusement.

Triton cleared his throat and tried to find a way to make the situation less embarrassing for the fourth wife, but Elirea beat him to the punch. "It means employees, the people who do the work." She had the decency to lower her voice for her next words. "Do you even understand the discussion?"

"Sorry," Sera murmured meekly, her pale face turning red and blotchy. Several of the men around the table—the dirty old geezers—smiled fondly at her. Dorothy rolled her eyes. The pallid ignoramus held a weird appeal for old men who had lusted all their life for weak-willed women who can only say 'yes'.

"Okay…" Triton steered the discussion on-topic. "As you were saying Mr. Chang?"

"As I said, there is no need to hire more people," Fei-Long continued. "I once had the opportunity to observe their activity and I sketched a more economical plan of action."

Quatre was interested. "Will you show it to us?"

"Of course Sir." Fei-Long retrieved a disc from his briefcase and handed it to Melissa, who displayed the contents through the projector.

Many of the people in the board did not understand the details of the operation, but Quatre made Fei-Long explain it anyway. He believed that keeping matters as transparent as possible is the best way to gain and keep his colleagues trust.

"It is excellent," Triton remarked when Fei-Long finished.

"And you did all of this in your spare time?" Quatre asked.

"It was my project for the university, Sir. I asked for your permission to study the operations within the corporation for my research." Fei-Long replied.

"We will use it if you will give your consent," Quatre told him. "Know of course that you will be rewarded for your work."

"Use it as you please," Fei-Long said.

"We will discuss the details later, come to my office after your classes."

"Yes Sir."

"And talk to me about a job when you get out of the university."

"I will think about it," the teen had an amused sparkle in his eyes.

With that the topic was closed and Triton brought up other topics that needed to be given the board's attention. Quatre once again resumed his efforts to get much too close to Dorothy, who countered all his subtle advances. All of it was happening under the table and out of public view. Luckily, Dorothy's slight squirming did not escape the notice of one Heero Yuy who felt sorry for her. He scooted his chair and pulled at a surprised Fei-Long's chair as well to give Dorothy enough room to move her chair a few precious inches away from Quatre.

_Close _that_ gap Quatre, and I will have to surrender._ Dorothy smiled a private smile. _Thank you Yuy!_

The rest of the meeting flew by distraction-free and soon the members of the board were pushing their chairs away from the table and saying their I'll-be-on-my-ways and see-you-soons. Dorothy was just telling a slightly embarrassed Fei-Long how brilliant he was before she made to leave when Quatre came up behind her, one hand enclosing her wrist and the other resting on the small of her back.

"We have to talk," Quatre said softly.

Dorothy couldn't very well run away from him screaming, seeing as how there were other people around. So she forced her face to remain carefully neutral and said, "I need to be on my way, Quatre. Perhaps some other time. Lila!"

"Yes, Ms. Catalonia?" Lila was by Dorothy's side in an instant.

"Please call Walter and tell him to meet us at the main entrance."

"Yes Ma'am," Lila whipped out her cellphone. Quatre clutched the said phone in a restraining fashion.

"Lila, tell Walter to come by for Dorothy in two hours."

"But Sir—"

"Lila, tell Walter to come now." Dorothy said impatiently.

"She will be ready in two hours," Quatre slipped an arm around Dorothy's waist. "My wife and I will talk in private."

Lila bit her lip. She really didn't want to be stuck in the middle of their fight.

Dorothy tugged at the arm around her waist. "Quatre you cannot force me to come with you. I am leaving."

"Dorothy—"

"Quatre—"

"Is something the matter?"

Lila squeaked when the most notorious of former Gundam pilots appeared beside her. Heero Yuy stood in an intimidating manner.

Dorothy looked from Heero, to Quatre and back to Heero. Quatre had taken to glaring at his long-time friend and Heero retaliated with a killer look of his own.

"If you don't mind Yuy, I am speaking to my wife in private." Quatre pulled Dorothy towards himself possessively.

"Not if she doesn't want to, Winner."

"Mind your own business Yuy."

"It's my business if someone is harassing my friend."

_This is ridiculous. _Dorothy pushed away Quatre, who made a sound of protest. A look of utter exasperation quieted him. Then Dorothy turned to Heero. "It's okay Heero. I'll talk to him."

Heero looked doubtful. "Well if you're sure—"

"You heard her."

Heero threw Quatre a dirty look before stalking off. Quatre turned to Lila. "Now why don't you join Melissa for a chat while Dorothy and I talk?"

Lila looked at Dorothy for permission, and when her employer nodded, Lila walked towards the other secretary. They were friends despite having such different personalities.

"Where to?" Dorothy asked, then immediately regretted. _No, not his office!_

Quatre cradled one of her hands with his own and entwined his fingers with hers. "Anywhere, darling. Your pick." Quatre brought her hand, palm up, to his lips and kissed it.

"Alright then. Let's go to the third floor café." Dorothy strode out of the conference room purposefully. Quatre easily kept up with his longer strides, still holding her hand.

**Author's Notes again :** Me on a roll!! XD


	8. Chapter 7

**Author's Notes: **The last chapter for this update. I'll try to update soon. -; Unlike the gap between my first post and this update…

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. I am just a teenage dirtbag with an unhealthy obsession for Milky Way Midnight candy nibbles.

Four Weddings and a Divorce 

Chapter 7:

"Thank you," Dorothy said automatically when Quatre pulled out her chair for her. He smiled lovingly as he sat down the chair on the other side of the round little table.

A waiter had been by their side since they entered. He handed each of them a menu and waited patiently for their order.

"I will have a glass of coffee liqueur with cream." Dorothy said, without even glancing at the menu.

"A cup of Tazo Chai." Quatre said, handing the waiter their menus. He and Dorothy had been going to the place so frequently since it first opened that they could probably recite the menu in reverse order.

"Would that be all?" The waiter asked.

"A platter of hors de oeuvres," Dorothy added. She looked at Quatre and said, "And a platter of mussels cooked in butter and garlic as well. That is all." The waiter nodded politely and took his leave.

Quatre gave her hand, which he had never let go, a squeeze. He was pleased that she could still tell what to order for him intuitively.

The waiter came with their drinks but neither noticed.

Dorothy locked gazes with him, losing herself in the sparkling emerald of his eyes just as he drowned into those glittering ice blues of hers. She fleetingly remembered a silly little 'personality test' she had taken as a child in her preppy all-girls school. One of the questions was: _how would you describe a forest?_ She marveled at how she still remembered her answer back then: _deep, so mysterious, there is danger lurking amidst the vibrant greens—so you'll have to be careful or you'll get lost—but it is so beautiful and utterly alive…_

Funny how that now gave her yet another oh-so cliché metaphor with which to describe her beloved. Quatre's eyes were like forests: lush green, beautiful, deep—it's so easy to lose yourself in them as they are cloaked in mystery, they are potentially dangerous and simply alive.

Quatre was almost afraid to blink. She was looking at him, with _that_ look of love. She would look at him; oblivious that blatant adoration was painted on her face, the show of emotion being spontaneous and absolutely unaffected. It wasn't there to tease or move him—she just couldn't help it.

The object of her affections blinked and brought Dorothy out of her trance. She looked down at the table, her fair cheeks tinged with crimson. That moment had been warm, comfortable and tender—even more dangerous than any hot, sexually charged interaction. She was capable of falling even more in love with him every day—sharing with him a single moment of such pure love wouldn't ease the exquisite torture of loving him.

She tried retrieving her hand but he maintained his firm grasp upon it. "Dorothy…" Quatre began. He had it all figured it—he would give a no-holds barred speech about his feelings for her, bombarding her with kisses, she would initially resist of course but eventually, she would yield to him, this whole divorce nonsense would be scrapped and he would whisk her to his office to ravish her in ways she had forgotten were possible—

"Quatre…" Dorothy murmured.

He gave her a seductive grin and leaned towards her, dropping a kiss on her hand. "Darling, I wanted to tell you—"

Dorothy all but yanked her hand from him. "They redecorated, have you noticed?" She knew it was a pathetic attempt at distracting Quatre from his objective but any topic was fair game. She took the intricately folded napkin in front of her on the table, and placed it on her lap.

At first Quatre nodded mutely, thrown completely off-balance. Then he realized what she was doing and chuckled under his breath. If she wanted to delay the inevitable moment of truth, then he could play her game. He would soon be able to back her into a corner and have his way with her. Figuratively of course. The literal manifestation would have to wait until later…

"Yes Darling, I have noticed." Quatre told her. He stirred his cup of tea and drank.

"I like this," Dorothy said, gesturing at the wine-red roses and beige tapestries. Because of the gauzy curtains of creamy tan that hung on the windows and the faint light bulbs, a soft yellowish light prevailed. "It's a lot better than the last motif."

"Oh, the lemon yellow and white? And with bare windows and cotton draperies. I suppose they thought it suited the summer."

"Yes, it did, but it had been a little too harsh. Peaches and creams would have been lovelier." Dorothy wiped the moisture off her glass of coffee liqueur and cream with exaggerated care, took a dainty sip.

"This one really suits the season."

"Uh-huh. Very autumn-esque." Dorothy finally settled her hands on her lap. One can only pretend to be adjusting their dinner napkin for so long. "It makes me think of Treize and how he decorated Mariemaia's room."

The third floor café was called Cinnamon Rose and actually had two levels, each occupying about a fourth of the floor areas of the third and fourth floors of the building. But everyone just called it third floor café since the main entrance was situated in the third floor. It was an establishment of low-key elegance, with an ambiance both serene and romantic. The chairs were cozy and covered with velvet that it was so easy to sink into them and just relax. The tables were widely spaced, adding a more private feel. Mood music wafted from the hidden speakers everywhere, so quiet they were seemed like nothing more than wistful sighs.

Dorothy's cousin, Mariemaia Krushneda, owned and designed the place. Influenced by her father's love for dreamy surroundings, and yet not succumbing to his tendency to be excessive, Mariemaia did a wonderful job and the third floor café was popular not just with the people within the Winner Corporation, but also with the other people around the area.

The waiter finally came with their snacks. Dorothy gobbled a quiche—with as much poise as she could muster—and another.

Quatre watched her. He swallowed his mouthful of mussel, sipped some more of his tea before speaking again. "I thought you didn't like quiche."

"Whatever gave you that idea?"

"You always said too much cheese with the flaky pastry was nasty."

"I never said that." She frowned at him.

"You did. A lot." Quatre insisted. "Besides, you never take one from a tray of hors de oeuvres."

"Oh." Dorothy shrugged. "I just decided that I liked them after all." She popped another quiche in her mouth. She took an oyster cracker then grimaced. She pushed all the oyster crackers to the side of the plate.

"Why aren't you eating your oyster crackers?" Quatre asked. She loved oyster crackers—he was sure of it.

"I don't like oyster crackers."

"You don't," Quatre sighed. "You love oyster crackers!"

"I don't."

"Yes you do."

"I said I don't." She glowered at him. Her temper was shorter than usual.

"Dorothy I've been married to you for fourteen years, I'm sure I know what I'm talking about when I tell you I know you love oyster crackers."

"You're sure?" Dorothy gazed at him wistfully. Her next words broke his heart. "You've been married to three other women in the last five years, it wouldn't be too difficult to forget me. I hardly matter anymore."

That her words were devoid of bitterness only intensified the pain. It's as if she had resigned herself to the idea that Quatre loved her less. The mere thought was preposterous to Quatre—he loved Dorothy and only Dorothy, loved her with his entire being that he can't even look at another woman without comparing her to Dorothy and noticing how she can't ever compare to his beloved. His heart belonged to Dorothy, even a fool could see that, so why couldn't she?

"My love, how can you say that?" Quatre's voice almost broke. "There is nothing about you I could ever forget, nothing about you that would go unnoticed.

"I know that you have gotten a manicure since I last saw you, for the tips of your nails are now more square than round. I remember how you plaited a ribbon through Wendy's hair, matching the ribbon that you wrapped around your own hair, when you took the children to see me. I know that you've given me exactly seventeen copies of divorce papers; six of them mailed, four of them delivered by Rashid and seven of them you personally gave me. I remember how, right after Wendy was born, you made me lay beside you on your bed and you slept with your head on my chest. I know that you take two lumps of sugar with your coffee, and full-cream milk—not artificial creamer. I remember how the sunlight glanced off your hair on our wedding day, and how your hair fell down your back so freely, only a wreath of fresh white roses and a veil adorning it. I remember how I felt when I first laid my eyes upon you, I followed the overwhelming compulsion to look into your eyes and I felt like I was drowning in a pool of ice and liquid fire.

"So don't _ever_ even think that you don't matter, that you aren't precious to me!" Quatre grabbed both of her hands and pulled them towards him across the table. The sudden movements caused his tea to slosh over the brim of its cup, but it was the least of Quatre's concerns.

"Quatre…" Dorothy whispered. "I am… precious to you?"

"Yes!!" He stood up and then kneeled before her with a flourish. He didn't care whether other people in the café were watching him. As far as he was concerned, there was only he and Dorothy.

"Oh…" Dorothy leaned forward, bringing her face closer to his.

Quatre fought to urge to lunge forward and kiss her. Instead, he brought up her hands to cup his face, hoping she'd take the hint…

"Quatre…" Dorothy stroked his cheek. "I want to believe you, Quatre. I want to believe you so badly."

"Then believe me."

"I tried to, Quatre, for five years..." Her lower lip trembled and Quatre just wanted to still it by capturing her lips with his.

"Dorothy—"

"No Quatre, listen to me." She tilted his head slightly to lock his gaze with hers, like she would have done with a child. "I can't feel that I am precious to you. I am _only_ one of your wives, Quatre, not the only one. Just one of the many. How can I feel precious in that situation?"

"Dorothy, to me you are the only woman in the world!!"

She shut her eyes, savoring his words. Even though words are never enough. It was something Quatre never did understand.

She stood up and pulled him up as well. He stood in front of her; his head turned down, his eyes never leaving her face. She brought up her hands to his face and gently ran them over his eyes to close them. She tilted her head up and brushed her lips against his—a phantom kiss so soft, Quatre wasn't even sure if it really happened.

After a few minutes, his eyes still closed, he heard her voice, as if from very far away. "How can a man honestly say there is only one woman for him when he has three other wives?"

Quatre's eyes flew open. She wasn't in front of him.

He looked around, turning in a full circle, scanning the café. There was crisp twenty on the table to more than cover the check, but no other sign of her. Quatre sighed in frustration and threw another twenty on the table.

Dorothy had left him. She was gone.

**Author's Notes again : **Okay, that's the last of it. For now. -


	9. Chapter 8

**Author's Notes: **WAH, I HAVE THIRTEEN REVIEWS!!! Xx Somebody review quickly—not unlucky number thirteen!!! dies Hehe—kidding!!

Angel of Mirth: Ooh, you ARE the sister of my soul. ) Ezra… whee!! Love him, really. Heero here… I really could see it. I really think that Dorothy and Heero would either a) still be at each other's throats, b) end up together, c) become great friends. C is the choice I liked the most. Thank you for your kind words and pointing out some errors and stuff. )

TenkunoMeiou: Yes, I WILL!! XD

Skydancer1: Yes, I know. sniff In this update, Quatre's reasons for the trouble will be alluded to… just a bit. )

Chisakami Saiyuki: Thanks. Yeah I know, it is. This is sort of personal to me actually… ) I'm not a Muslim, but somebody related to me was one.

Hopeless Delirium: Err… I know what you're feeling!! I feel that too when I read some 4D fics!! I'm sorry I can't go 3D no matter how good that looks!!, if not for Quatre's sake, then for Catherine's. Dorothy will 'win' though, I promise you that, and a VERY satisfying victory it will be… Oops, did I just give away too much? XD

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing not mine. OCs and plot mine.

Four Weddings and a Divorce 

Chapter 8:

"Dorothy Catalonia? Oh, it is you!!"

From her perch in Chez Pierre's VIP table, Dorothy looked down at Elirea and smiled that cultured smile that never does seem to reach her icy blue eyes. "Elirea," Dorothy said by way of greeting.

Unabashed by the ice princess' demeanor, Elirea tottered up the steps, up the platform for the VIP tables. "What a coincidence!!"

"Truly," Dorothy nodded indifferently, studying her perfectly manicured fingernails. She had had years to master that 'my-nails-are-far-more-interesting-than-you' look, and that mild irritation was marked upon Elirea's features proved it.

Truth be told, Dorothy actually kind of liked Elirea. Not that the woman has endeared herself to Dorothy, oh no. It was just that, Dorothy had been forced to put up with Elirea longer than the other wives; she was the second wife after all. Elirea—she always did try to fight back whenever she got into a tiff with Dorothy. Not that it ever got her anywhere. But Dorothy took to Elirea's nature better, rather than to Kiki's passive deviousness or Sera's passive… well, passiveness. Dorothy _hated _passiveness.

"How is the divorce going?" Elirea asked with feigned cheerfulness.

Through gritted teeth that still looked like a sweet smile, Dorothy said, "Oh, Quatre is dragging his feet."

"Don't worry, I'll tell him to hurry up." Elirea replied.

_You would, wouldn't you?_ "I doubt that it would do any good my dear." Dorothy batted her eyelashes. "Quatre just wouldn't let me go. You know how love works…"

The furious red of Elirea's face and the strangled sounds she made nearly made Dorothy's day.

"I will try harder, of course." Dorothy continued. "I know I can convince him. After all, he has to give in to the _one and only_ woman he loves, doesn't he."

The red on Elirea's face deepened and she made more strangling sounds. So entertaining.

"Good morning, Ms. Catalonia."

"Good morning, Mr. Thompson."

Elirea turned to the new arrival, appraising the handsome, designer-suited lawyer with an expert eye. "Well, I see you're not wasting any time replacing our husband," she said spitefully.

Dorothy laughed throatily, throwing her head back for emphasis. "Oh Elirea, you are so naughty, _girl_… Mr. Thompson, this is Elirea Al-Hardi, one of Quatre Winner's wives."

Elirea held out her hand at Gerard. "Good morning, you may start calling me Elirea Winner—"

"No, Elirea, he can't. You still remain to be _second_ wife." Dorothy said in deliberate tones.

"I am pleased to meet you, _Ms. Al-Hardi._" Gerard shook the proffered hand. "I regret that I must interrupt your conversation with _Mrs. Winner_—"

"That's perfectly fine," Elirea interrupted coldly. "I am running late myself—lunch date with _my_ husband, Quatre. I'll see you two around." She flounced away.

"She is _so_ bluffing…" Dorothy grumbled, with an almost undetectable hint of uncertainty in her voice. She turned to Gerard, "Please Mr. Thompson, let us sit…"

The two of them took their seats on the table. After ordering refreshments—a decaffeinated cappuccino for Dorothy and an espresso for Gerard—they got down to business.

"This is a certified true copy of our prenuptial agreement." Dorothy held a document in one delicate hand.

Gerard reached out and took it, making certain to brush his fingers against hers as she did so. He enjoyed the slight thrill that coursed through him. He almost felt like a teen again.

"Let me see…" Gerard scanned the document and gave her an assuring smile. "You are guaranteed to keep twenty percent of Winner Corporation, just as he is guaranteed to keep twenty percent of the Romefeller Corporation. You have agreed to split your joint bank account—containing all income generated after marriage. You have agreed to keep all estates and accounts gained before marriage separate, except for several estates he's transferred to your name, and several estates you transferred to his name—"

"Yes, yes," Dorothy waved those provisions off. She didn't really care about the material aspect of their agreement. "The statements about our children…"

"Yes." Gerard turned to the page of interest. "It says here that he will pay child support. 12,000 annually for each child, exclusive of educational expenses which both of you pay half of, until the child reaches eighteen—"

Dorothy sighed. "I don't care about that."

"Ah, of course…" Gerard skimmed over the statements again. Dorothy was certainly unusual. Having come from a family of privilege, Gerard knew that people who had money usually wanted more money. Not Dorothy, and it seemed, not her husband either. "You are the one who will see to the children's needs, using the money meant for child support. Every third month, the children will go to Mr. Winner, the two months before that they are yours. You will alternate weekends however. And for Christmas, spring and summer breaks, there is no clear way of dividing the children's time, only that they are to spend half their time with each of you."

"How troublesome…" Dorothy lit a cigarette. She took one whiff and instantly felt bile rising up her throat. She threw down the cigarette on the table and made sounds that are somewhere between a choke and a cough.

"Have some water," Gerard quickly grabbed her glass and held it towards her. Dorothy accepted it gratefully and drank.

Gerard snuffed her cigarette on the silver ashtray. "Would you like some refreshments?" He raised his hand to call the waiter.

Despite being in a table at the remote edge of the bistro, the waiter came quickly. Nobody made VIPs wait. "What can I help you with, Sir, Madam?"

"Take this away," Dorothy pointed to her cup half-filled with lukewarm, decaffeinated coffee. "And bring me a glass of lemonade—with honey, not sugar. Thank you."

"Another cup of espresso please," Gerard requested.

"Anything else?" The waiter asked.

"A small tray of pate-stuffed mushrooms." Dorothy said. She looked at Gerard. "How about you?"

"Oh… how about… a clubhouse sandwich."

The waiter nodded in assent then left them. Gerard smiled at Dorothy. When she called to meet him so they can discuss her case, Gerard had suggested they meet in a conference room in his firm so their privacy would be ensured. But Dorothy insisted they go to Chez Pierre, saying she hated stuffy professional spaces and would be more at ease at the quaint little eatery. He was glad. It felt more like a date than a business meeting.

"How about the clause on our children's inheritance?"

Of course, it was still a business meeting.

"Ah, yes…" Gerard turned to the page. "They will inherit fifty-one percent of Winner Corporation—the portion which he owns, upon his death or if he sees fit, before it. Half percent of all his stocks in other corporations—excluding Romefeller—will be theirs as well as soon as they are of legal age. And at least half of his estates." He didn't find her inquiry odd, he was sure it wasn't like she suddenly decided she cared about the money after all. He suspected it was more of sentimentality than anything. Her next words confirmed his guess.

Dorothy nodded. "Well, at least I'm sure my children are favored…"

Gerard wasn't sure whether he should reply about that, but luckily the waiter came with their order, sparing him from the discomfort.

He watched Dorothy as she took a dainty sip of her lemonade. There was something to be said about an honest-to-goodness, authentic, certified princess. She maintained a regal bearing even while doing the most mundane things—like drinking lemonade. Everything about her was feminine. This might have intimidated other men, but not Gerard. He thought she was sweet. She had exceedingly good taste, having had the best money could buy but she regarded money almost indifferently—having so much of it and yet keeping sight of what was important, like her children. Not to mention that she was gorgeous. What a fascinating woman.

He was really glad to be on a pseudo-date with her, being able to see her relaxed, enjoying food and drink…

And seeing her little quirks. Right now, she had a bottle of honey in her hands and was pouring some over her mushrooms. He was just about to ask her about it when she suddenly spoke.

"What is your take on this, Mr. Thompson?" Dorothy tapped on the document with one perfect fingernail. "I don't like the idea of treating my children like some cheap piece of property on timeshare. It would be hard for me not seeing them for long periods of time, but don't you suppose you could arrange something better for them? Like they could stay with Quatre for a whole semester, the next semester with me and split their vacation times…"

"I'm sure I could, if Mr. Winner agrees…"

"But do you think it will be better for my children?"

"You are asking my personal opinion?"

"Yes."

"I don't have any children, I don't have a parent's perspective."

"It doesn't matter."

"Well…" Gerard looked thoughtful. "I actually think the original arrangement is better. Having them stay with one of you for an extended period of time will get them used to it… they might have a bit of culture shock every time they go to the other one.

"But the best way to go about this, is to ask your children what they want and accept it. I'm sure being the good parents that you and Mr. Winner are, you would honor their request."

"What they want?" Dorothy gave him a wry grin. "They told me they would stay with me all the time and stay with their father one weekend a month and just drop by for special holidays, and maybe take a random vacation with him."

Gerard chuckled. "Then isn't that all the better for you?"

"If I were to be selfish, yes." Dorothy propped one elbow on the table and rested her chin on her hand. "But I don't want my children to feel alienated from their father. They adore Quatre."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course! Absolutely! They love their father, why wouldn't they? Quatre is kind, caring, sweet, honorable…" She stopped at the amusement on Gerard's face. "But anyway, that is not the point."

Gerard smirked. The princess was still very much in love with the prince. He would just have to change that. Gerard Thompson was never one to back away from a challenge. "Yes, it isn't."

"But I noticed something that might help our case…" Dorothy slapped a hand lightly on the document. "There is no clause here that says Quatre can marry other women. But he did—doesn't that make my reason for divorcing him legitimate?"

"If you were to look at it that way, then yes." Gerard took a sip of his coffee before continuing. "But—there is also no clause that says he _can't_ marry other women. Since he is Arabian and that is their custom, then the judge just may think that it is within his right."

"But I am European," Dorothy said. "And that is not our way. European women are to be their husband's only wife. They would have to consider that too. We were betrothed in an Arabian ceremony but our wedding itself was in a European tradition…"

"Indeed." Gerard nodded. In a bold move, he swept up her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Fear not, Ms. Catalonia, I shall make it work to your favor."

Dorothy let out a low, throaty laugh. "You are too kind, Mr. Thompson."

Gerard shook his head. "Oh no Ms. Catalonia, don't be naïve. I am not kind. I just have my reasons…"

**Author's Notes again : **… Gerard wasn't supposed to turn out into a pompous jackass, he was supposed to be like a tempting sort of second choice for Dorothy, but what the heck… if that's where his character is heading…


	10. Chapter 9

**Author's Notes: **I think it is time for yet another dose of Ezrael Catalonia Winner… and maybe some of the other members of the second generation—the children of the other pilots! Okay? Okay! It's weird, I was never fond of second-generation fics, but all of the fics I'm working on now have that element! WHY! 

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. Even though I want it, I want it—I really, really want it!

Four Weddings and a Divorce 

Chapter 9:

"Just what do you think you're doing!"

Ezra flinched guiltily, nearly dropping his violin case. He looked down at his friend from where he was sitting—on top of the high, ivy-covered stonewall that went all around the property of United Earth Academy. Both of his legs were draped over the other side in preparation for jumping down and out of the schoolgrounds.

"You're sneaking away again, aren't you?" Caressa Yuy continued in an accusatory manner. "That's the third time this week."

Ezra rolled his eyes. Maybe if he ignored her, she would leave him alone.

Yeah, right.

"I'm telling Auntie Dorothy."

"It wouldn't be anything she never heard of," Ezra bluffed.

"I know that she knows how you sneaked out to see Uncle Quatre the last time. But she doesn't know that you didn't even attend any classes on Monday so you could spend all your time with your violin," she spat out that part. She hated it when Ezra chose to be with that inanimate hunk of wood instead of her! "And she doesn't know that this has been happening for several months now, does she?"

"………"

"Ezrael! Say something!"

"You know I really don't have anything to say to someone who _claims_ to be my friend, and yet threatens to blackmail me…" Ezra spoke coldly.

"I am your friend!" Caressa was enraged. "That's why I'm telling you to stay here in school and learn, because it's for your own good."

"Clearly, there's no talking to you." He went on in an icy tone. "But I don't have to sit here and let one Caressa Yuy nag at me about things that aren't any of her concern. You're not my mother or my girlfriend."

"Ezra!" She cried, anguished. She didn't want to be his mother, but that 'girlfriend' argument was unbearable! "I-I… I know it really isn't any of my business but I care about you a lot. You are such a smart boy, and you have a lot of dreams… cutting classes won't really help you along the way. I know you're going through a tough time right now, but this won't really help you or Auntie Dorothy… Ezra, she trusts you so much, don't let her down… Ezra, please…"

Ezra sighed. He wanted to act like Caressa's words and that stricken look on her face didn't really affect him, but they did.

Having sensed his change of mood, she was now looking up at him hopefully. She was clutching a picnic basket. "Maybe we can share lunch…?"

"Alright. Take this." Ezra gently dropped the violin in Caressa's hands. Then he hopped off the wall. "Ouch!" He yelped at the pain that shot up his legs upon landing.

"Are you okay?" Caressa asked concernedly, kneeling beside where he was now crouched on all fours.

"Yes…"

"Are you sure?" She asked again, grabbing both of his arms to help him up.

"I'm fine." Ezra muttered through gritted teeth. He shook off his hands and snatched the violin case off the ground, wiping the grass stains against his crisp black pants.

"You shouldn't do things like that!" Caressa nagged. "You're going to get yourself hurt!"

"Stop fussing, will you!"

"Sorry…" Caressa smiled sweetly at him.

"………"

"Come on, Ezrael." She took him by the hand and led him under a cherry blossom tree. The wicker basket was opened and Ezra spread out the red-and-white checkered picnic blanket. Caressa placed a thermos and a huge bento on the blanket. "Well, let's eat then!"

"Okay," Ezra took the chopsticks offered to him and broke them apart. Caressa's bento was lovely as usual; the riceballs looked delicious and so did the grilled squid. Ezra poked at several things he did not recognize. At Caressa's reproaching tone, he withdrew his chopsticks at once.

"Ezra, don't play with the food!"

He just shrugged and took a portion of squid. "It's good."

"Really?" Caressa beamed. "I made if myself!"

"You did!" Ezra was surprised. " I didn't know you could cook!"

"Daddy is teaching me how to cook some simple Japanese dishes. I told you that didn't I?" The blank look on his face irked her. "You forgot, didn't you?"

_What's the big deal?_ "………"

"Hmp…" Caressa sulked.

It was after a few moments of silence when Ezra spoke. "I'm glad that you let me share your bentos. The cooking at home is fine, but one does get tired of rich European dishes or spicy Arabian cuisine. Thanks Caressa."

A pleasant glow radiated from Caressa's cheeks and warmed her whole body. Ezra can get impossible at times, but he has this endearing quirk of mentioning his appreciation for other people in an offhand manner. It is just one of the things she loved about Ezrael Catalonia-Winner. "It's no problem, Ezra, really…"

But Ezra's attention was now elsewhere. "Hmm…" he murmured thoughtfully, as he flopped on his stomach and stared straight across the manicured school lawn.

Caressa frowned at his apparent lack of interest in her as of the moment. Following where he was gawking at, she was met with the sight of Yehan and Yossef, both with mischievous looks on their faces. The twins were trailing after a girl who was pointedly ignoring them. "Oh," Caressa uttered dismissively. "It's just Vassilisa Zala."

"She's in our year, is she not?" Ezra said, more to himself than to his companion. "It's not like Yossef and Yehan to pick on an underclassman, especially a girl."

The Yuy daughter started packing the lunch back in the basket, strewing rice grains and soy sauce upon the blanket. "It's because she's so annoying." She threw down the thermos at the basket, making a loud clattering noise.

"Annoying?" Ezra wondered. _She is aloof… and cold… such an overachieving loner… everyone says she's a snob… I guess that's because she's from a very famous family… she has exquisite manners, except when asking people to leave her alone…_

"Oh, she thinks she's so great!" Caressa spat, unable to elaborate. She glared at Vassilisa's direction. The other girl tossed her perfectly styled long hair, which was tied in a half-ponytail with a big black ribbon and curled at the ends. Caressa was muttering almost inaudibly. "So infuriating!" The tresses bounced and glinted in the sunlight, showing off their fascinating color—a deep shade of honey-wheat. "So what if she's blonder—that does not make her any better! Besides, she didn't have Prussian-blue eyes, so there! Just because she's the _Princess_ of Orb and ZAFT…"

"………"

The aforementioned Vassilisa Zala suddenly turned towards the twins. Her aristocratic features had a hard look to them, as she gazed at the twins with a cold haughtiness.

Ezra could not hear what she told the twins, but her right hand spoke volumes. Though it was held out demurely in front of her, just close to her chest like how any proper lady would hold it, the elegant hand would flick out every so often, wave a little, or even clench tightly.

But things just got worse, for the twins jeered even more at her. Ezra started thinking they might have gone too far and had half a mind to interfere, when an Oriental girl with a loop of black braid above each ear stomped towards the twins.

"You two should be ashamed of yourselves, don't you have any PRIDE as young men!" Li-Li's voice carried across the lawn. "How dishonorable!"

Vassilisa looked at Li-Li, said a few words, and then walked away. Both Yossef and Yehan had to restrain Li-Li to prevent her from jumping on the honey-wheat girl.

"BADGERING YOU? BADGERING YOU! I WAS TELLING THESE CREEPS TO LAY OFF, FOR YOU, AND YOU SAY I'M BADGERING YOU! SUCH INJUSTICE THIS IS—"

Ezra felt a bead of sweat slide down his forehead as he watched his brothers drag the irrepressible Chang Mei-Ling away. Caressa had a triumphant grin on her face. "You see! Vassilisa 'I'm-a-Princess' Zala is insufferable."

_Whatever, I don't really care…_ Ezra flopped over to lie on his back and enjoyed the sunshine on his face as it filtered through the pink blossoms of the cherry tree.

Caressa looked slightly miffed that Ezra was dozing, but happy enough to leave the subject of Vassilisa alone. "Ezra… Yossef and Yehan say you guys have a plan to get your parents together again."

"… Yeah."

She lied down beside him, propping herself on one elbow so she still had a view of his face. "What is it?"

A secret smile. "You wouldn't want to know."

"Huh?" Caressa was about to badger him about it, but the serious faraway look on his face stopped her.

"………"

"Ezra…" She ventured.

"… Yeah?"

"Didn't your Dad once say that he and your Mom… they love each other in a way that no one else can love them?"

"… Yeah."

"And that it had something to do with… that thing… Mommy and Daddy knew…"

"It was the Zero System."

"The what?"

"The Zero System," Ezra repeated. "Dad said it made them as one. I didn't understand exactly how though… it was like…" he scrunched his forehead, trying to find a way to explain it. "Like some ESP mind link thing…"

There was confusion written on Caressa's face, but she did not pursue the explanation. "Anyway…"

"… Yeah?"

"If that is the case, doesn't that make your parents like, the absolute soulmates?"

"Well… that's one way of putting it…" Ezra agreed grudgingly, not really liking Caressa's choice of words. "It's like… they're the only ones for each other." _Right, like I worded it any better… we could put up a cheese factory here…_

"Ezra…"

"… Yeah?"

"If that's the way it is… then why… why are there other wives, Ezra?"

"………"

"You've never told me before…"

"………"

Caressa clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh Ezra, I'm so sorry… I just pried and—"

"Dad said it was his responsibility."

"EH!" Caressa looked incredulous.

"He said it was his responsibility. He didn't marry them because he wanted other wives. He just had to."

"What for!"

"As I understand, the succeeding marriages were like some legal contracts of sort… All my half-siblings were born from test tubes. They weren't even 'real' marriages as far as the Faith goes, for there was never any consummation," he ignored the blush on Caressa's face. "But by law, they are legal alright, valid contracts…"

"Oh give me a break!" She exclaimed. "Everyone knows that those marriages weren't 'real'. But it's not like they're inter-colonial negotiations, right! Why didn't he just refuse those contracts of marriage!"

Ezra shrugged—as well as any one lying down could shrug that is. "Tradition he says."

"Tradition!" Caressa sat up and slapped her hands on her knees angrily. "At the expense of hurting Auntie Dorothy! That doesn't sound very much like love to me! It's just polygamy, and it's wrong! _Stupid Arabians!_"

Ezra bolted up to a sitting position, his shoulders and back stiff. "………"

Caressa flinched. Ezra was giving her a 'look'. Was he angry at her? "I-I-I… I'm sorry… Ezra! I didn't mean it… I… I know you're A-Arabian. I just—"

He shook his head. "I'm not offended, Caressa, don't worry about it. Actually… we share the same opinion."

Her face brightened immediately. "Really?"

"Yes."

"So even if it's an Arabian tradition and you're Arabian…"

"I will never do it. I will find the woman I want to marry and marry her. _Only her._"

The determination on Ezrael's handsome face was so becoming on him that Caressa's heartbeat went faster. "Wow Ezra, that's nice. I wouldn't have to worry _when_—I mean, if, we ever get married!" She gave him the best view of her pearly whites.

Ezra made strangled noises at the back of his throat. His normal speech was hindered, how interesting. He composed himself, and when he was capable of doing so properly, spoke again. "We should get back inside the school building."

"Okay, Ezra." Both of them stood up, Ezra shook the grass off the picnic blanket then Caressa refolded it and placed it inside the picnic basket. Carrying the basket and his violin, Ezra led the way back to the school building. They were still a few paces away when they heard that there was a commotion inside.

"What's going on!" Caressa asked.

Ezra shook his head. "I don't know, let's go!" They rushed through the open double doors and pushed their way past the crowd of students.

Ezra nearly groaned when he saw Yossef and Yehan in the middle of the circle of gathered students. He blinked at what he saw next, Vassilisa Zala standing in front of her cousin, Nikki Yamato. She held out one arm in front of her cousin, as if to protect him.

"I said I was sorry…" Nikki said to Vassilisa, his baby-blue eyes widened innocently.

"I know you did, dear." Vassilisa replied. "It is not your fault that these two heathens do not know how to accept an apology."

"_Heathens!_" Ezra frowned darkly. His brothers may be impossible at times, but they were his brothers after all, more importantly, they are Catalonia-Winners and _nobody_ had the right to insult them! Not even the daughter of Chairman Zala and Head Representative Athha.

"Bitch," Caressa murmured under her breath, obviously not for Ezra's ears, but he heard anyway.

"Ezra!" Kraehe Maxwell clapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey," he nodded at Kraehe, who was with the twins Katrina and Aidan Barton.

"Shouldn't you stop them?" Kraehe asked. Ezra just shrugged. "Oh, where is Li-Li when you need her!"

Aidan surveyed the scene. "I'm getting Xavier." He weaved through the crowd and was gone.

"Step aside please, Miss Zala." Yossef commanded, more than requested, in a cold voice.

Vassilisa lifted her chin haughtily. "I think not."

The usual half-smirk, half-smile was gone from Yehan's face. He looked deadly serious. "Zala. Get lost."

Icy-blue eyes and the distinctive Catalonia eyebrows can be extremely intimidating, and Vassilisa's façade visibly faltered. She stole a glance at Nikki, who flinched when Yehan took a threatening step forward.

Nikki's fingers dug unto her shoulders. "Vassilisa… let's just leave…"

Ironically, her cousin's obvious apprehension fueled her resolve. "Yehan Winner… _nobody_ tells me to 'get lost'…"

Yehan marched towards Vassilisa until he stood in front of her, towering above her. "Well, I just did. And I am not used to people who don't do as I say."

"And _nobody_ tells me what to do," Vassilisa retorted coolly.

"This is none of your business."

"Oh, but it is." Vassilisa said.

Nikki stepped around Vassilisa and stood beside her. "I'm really sorry, Yehan. Please don't fight with Vassilisa."

"I don't fight with girls," Yehan spat. He stepped towards Nikki, who shrank back.

"Nikki!" Vassilisa shrieked.

"No…" Nikki retreated as Yehan advanced.

Ezra fought back an exasperated snort and glared at the oblivious Nikki Yamato. _Just because his father was a pilot and his mother was some bubblegum singer girl doesn't give him an excuse to be stupid and get away with it…_ His shiny, longish brown hair in an asymmetrical cut, large baby-blue eyes and lean figure made him popular among the girls at school, but he was nothing more than a useless pretty boy. He was too ignorant for his own good, went around offending other people (claiming it was accidental), always reverted to a state of childish cowardice and could do nothing more than follow his stronger cousin. There had been a rumor before that the cousins were more than friendly with each other. The thought was just repulsive, but if that were true, then Ezra could definitely see that Vassilisa wore the figurative pants in the relationship.

"Ouch," Nikki complained when Yehan grabbed him by the collar.

Vassilisa leapt towards Yehan. "Let go of him, you brute!" She wrenched Yehan's hand off Nikki and pushed the latter behind her again.

"Look, I just said I don't fight with girls. DON'T force me!" Yehan roared. With a sweep of his hand, he pushed Vassilisa away.

"Yehan!" Ezra cried.

"Ach!" She fell on the floor.

Ezra was about to help her up, but somebody beat him to the punch. "NOOOOO!" Kaschel burst through the crowd, and ran toward Vassilisa.

Kraehe frowned in confusion as her older brother picked up Vassilisa off the floor. "Where the hell did he come from!"

Vassilisa merely pushed Kaschel away however, and went for Yehan, who had gone for Nikki again. "I said, LET GO OF HIM!"

"Dammit!" Yehan growled when Vassilisa slammed her body against his. She was slender, but the running start she took lent her force and both of them stumbled to the floor.

"Oh no, Vassilisa!" Nikki cried.

"Stop it already!" Ezra yelled. He yanked Vassilisa's arm up to get her to stand and she stood up.

_SLAP!_

Ezra blinked in surprise. _What the hell!_

"You tell your brothers to stop harassing Nikki!" She spat at him.

Yehan was enraged. "Why you—" He scrambled to his feet and ran towards Vassilisa.

"Ezra!" Yossef looked about ready to join the fray when a hand lightly tapped him on the chest to stop him.

"That's quite enough." It was Xavier Barton, and beside him stood Arystide Zala. The students in the crowd were mostly middle-schoolers or high school freshmen and hushed at the sight of the most intriguing pair of seniors.

Arystide blocked Yehan, who had already pushed Vassilisa on the floor again, from charging towards her. Kaschel helped up Vassilisa again. Arystide gently straightened his sister's hair, which was not so perfect anymore. "Are you alright, Vassilisa? And you, Nikki?""

"I'm alright." Nikki answered. Vassilisa nodded silently.

"Good," Arystide said. "Let's go you two."

"Thank you." Nikki said to Kaschel.

"Aww, it was nothing. You two take care of yourselves." He said.

"Hmp." Vassilisa merely turned on her heel and allowed her brother to lead her away, Nikki following close behind.

"Alright, show's over and in a few minutes, lunch will be too." Xavier stared at the students pointedly and the crowd dissipated.

"Good thing you came." Katrina told her older brother.

"Yeah, I know." Xavier said. He turned to Yossef and Yehan. "Didn't anybody ever teach you not to fight with girls?"

Yossef sulked, but looked properly shamed. Yehan frowned. "It was _her_ fault."

"Actually, it was Nikki's fault." Aidan said.

"And you—" Xavier turned to his brother. "You just watched from the sidelines for a good while. If you didn't have the heart to stand up to these bullies, you should have at least called me immediately."

"Why did you fight anyway?" Ezra asked the twins. They refused to answer the question. Ezra sighed, guessing it was something petty that blew out of proportion. He touched his stinging cheek. _Some nerve, that girl… she may have those parents, but I have _my _parents…_

"That girl had some nerve!" Caressa cried, repeating Ezra's thought aloud. She examined his cheek.

Xavier looked seriously at the group. "Look, I know they can be difficult. But if you are going to make somebody's life miserable just for the heck of it, don't make Vassilisa Zala—or her cousin for that matter—your targets." With that, Xavier left.

Ezra's gaze followed the older boy as he walked towards the two Zala and the Yamato that waited for him. He caught Vassilisa's stare and her golden-green eyes hardened like agates, the green in them intensifying. Xavier and his strange friends went down the hallway. Vassilisa now looked at her cousin and she touched his cheek gently. There was such tenderness in those eyes, now almost a sea-green in their warmth.

"It's fine," Ezra lightly slapped Caressa's hand away. "Let's go back to class."

"Hey, hey!" They heard Li-Li's voice behind them.

"Oh, where were you?" Kraehe asked crossly.

"Darn, I knew I missed it!" Li-Li said. She poked Yehan in the ribs, a grin on her face. "You had a catfight with her, didn't you? That's going to do wonders to your reputation, it will—having a catfight with Vassilisa Zala."

"I didn't have a catfight with her!" Yehan protested.

"Sure you did," Li-Li teased.

Ezra sighed exasperatedly as Yehan chased after Li-Li. Stealing one last glance at Vassilisa Zala's retreating back, he walked to class, Caressa close behind him.

Author's Notes: Oddly enough, when I first thought of this chapter, Ezra was supposed to be a bit friendlier towards Caressa. But now, he has so much angst… Hrmm… I don't really like Caressa much myself… but she's supposed to be this way; a bit overbearing, crushing on Ezra (who isn't really sure that he returns the sentiment), but a really good friend. I don't even know why I placed Vassilisa here… she's supposed to be an OC for another fic in the same universe as this fic… Hmm… But I have plans for her alright… And her cousin, Nikki. grins They are second-generation too actually…


	11. Chapter 10

**Author's Notes: **Ahah! If you are enjoying this fic, do review, okay? It's the only way I'll know it's wanted and my only way of finding out what you think! (And of course, the only reward of a fanfic writer!)

I guess I shouldn't have made that comment about Vassilisa and Nikki and Arystide being of the second-generation as well… because in the universe of Gundam Wing, they shouldn't even be there: Uh… the thing is, they're based in a different Gundam universe. Arystide and Vassilisa Zalaguer, and Nikki Yamano were my OCs born out of the AsuCaga and KiraLacus ships (of Gundam Seed Destiny). Why do they have different surnames from their parents? It was supposed to be part of the subplots, the three of them hiding their identity. But I have too many subplots already, so I'll revert to the names they were supposed to use (Arystide Zala, Vassilisa Zala, Nikki Yamato). Anyway, the fact that they are meant to be in another Gundam universe doesn't have any bearing in this story, just think of them as plain OC's if you will…

The format for this chapter will be different. It will be longer than usual (yay!) and have several scenes, instead of just one or two. I think all chapters will be like this from now on!

And one last thing: if it's not too much trouble, please re-read the last chapter! I've made small but crucial changes to accommodate the characterization of Arystide, Vassilisa and Nikki. Nothing plot-changing, but it would make for a smoother read.

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine. DOH.

Four Weddings and a Divorce 

Chapter 10:

"I cannot believe the three of you." Dorothy murmured.

As one, the three Winner sons hung their heads in shame. She pulled out a slim cigarette and her silver lighter from her bag. She lit the cigarette, and after two drags, coughed delicately. She stood up and disposed of the cigarette in the nearest garbage bin.

"Attacking the only child of Kira and Lacus Yamato!" She shook her head as she walked back to the bench she had been sitting on. "You do know who they are, don't you?"

The three Winner sons fidgeted where they sat on the grassy lawn, still looking down.

"And as if that wasn't enough, you attacked Vassilisa Athha Zala as well!" She fanned herself with a hand.

"She slapped Ezra, Mom!" Yehan protested, his voice coming out as a whine.

"That was after you had pushed her, was it not? That was what Xavier told me, and Xavier never lies. Katrina and Aidan backed up what he said."

Yehan frowned. "But Mom—"

"Enough, Yehan Joseph Catalonia Winner!" Dorothy snapped, her hand flicking irritably. "I was told that you, and you," she pointed at each of the twins in turn, "had been mocking her even before you attacked her cousin as well. Chang Mei-Ling had to tell you off. How is it that a girl, two years younger than you, always needs to tell you what is right and is not right?"

Yehan looked down again, flushing a bright red. Yet he mumbled, "Still, that doesn't give her the right to slap Ezra."

"Maybe it does, given how he never seems to stand up against your mischief!" Dorothy's gaze shifted to Ezra, who didn't hazard meeting her gaze.

"And how many times must I tell you, Yossef!" She flung out her hand in frustration. "You are the eldest! You should be keeping your brothers in line, but no, you even make mischief with them!"

"Sorry…" Yossef mumbled.

"Do not apologize to me, apologize to Nikki Yamato and Vassilisa Zala!" Dorothy massaged her temples, muttering: "The daughter of Chairman Athrun Zala _and_ Orb Chief Representative Cagalli Yula Athha, my goodness…"

Yehan actually had the gall to grin impishly and say: "It's not that bad, we're the sons of Master Al-Winner and Duchess Catalonia after all."

In response, Dorothy smiled a dangerously saccharine smile, which caused Yehan to gulp. "And I should think that said princes of both Arabian and European territories should know better than to treat a princess in such a brutish manner."

All three Winner sons slumped lower.

"Have you anything more to say for yourselves?" Dorothy looked sharply at them.

"Mom—" Yehan began, but Yossef quickly jabbed his elbow at his twin's ribs, silencing him.

"We did wrong," Yossef said. Ezra nodded in acquiescence, and Yehan followed suit.

"Good, at least you now understand that." Their mother reached out and cupped their chins in turn, making them meet her gaze. "Even if the trouble had been started by Nikki Yamato and Vassilisa Zala, it would still have been wrong to treat them in such a manner. And as that is not what happened, even more so…" She glanced at her watched and stood up. "It is nearly time for the meeting with Headmistress Ramius. We should head for her office now."

Yossef, Yehan and Ezra exchanged looks. Where was their father? He was supposed to arrive an hour ago, earlier than their mother. Dorothy was already walking to the Administration building, which was just in front of the lawn.

"Where's Dad?" Yehan demanded, frowning at Yossef.

"He was supposed to be on his way," Yossef said, pulling out his mobile phone and flipping it open, speed-dialed Quatre's number. His forked eyebrows drew together. "I can't reach his number."

"Where the heck is he!" Yehan growled, roughly running his hands through his pale blond hair.

"Probably with the lesser wives," Ezra said with mock nonchalance.

"Can you shut up about that?" Yehan hissed. "Dad would never compromise Mom—and us—for them."

Ezra shook his head. _He's blind._

"Let's follow Mom," Yossef said, snapping his phone shut. His voice was carefully neutral and his mouth was set in a hard, straight line. "We won't accomplish anything here. Dad might be caught up somewhere. We'd be in more trouble if we make Headmistress Ramius wait." His brothers nodded their agreement and the three of them entered the Admin.

Inside the Building, they climbed the grand staircase, continuing on the right branch when the stairs forked at the landing. Huge plate glass windows stretched from the bottom of the landing to the ceiling, offering a clear view of the parking lot, lawns and buildings behind the Admin. Ezra peered down. He saw a familiar blond man standing by a black limo, surrounded by three women and several small children.

He looked familiar for he was nearly identical to Ezra. _What is Father…_ Pressing his nose against the glass, Ezra watched. Quatre turned around and walked away. One of the women, the one with hair in a very fake shade of red, grasped his arm and was obviously shouting, flailing her free hand desperately, knocking the forehead of one of the two the children beside her. Ezra recognized her as Elirea.

Another woman, with chestnut hair that would have looked plain if not for how it was held in an elegant twist against her scalp, held Quatre's and Elirea's hands, removing Elirea from Quatre. She maintained her grip on him however. Ezra's eyes narrowed. _Kiki_… One day, that underhanded woman will get what she deserved; Ezra would make sure of that.

"Ezra," Yossef called from the top of the stairs, but Ezra ignored him.

The last woman, the pallid blond, was looking alternately at Quatre and the other wives. Sera clutched her son Albert closely, looking fearfully at Elirea who was now flailing both arms, now probably screaming even louder at Quatre, delaying even more the already very late man.

_Why am I not surprised?_ Ezra clenched his teeth.

"Ezra!" Yehan called impatiently. "What are you standing there for? Hey, Ezra!" He shouted after the younger boy when the latter ran down the stairs.

"Ezra!" Yossef and Yehan shouted in unison, running after him.

"Don't follow me!" Ezra shouted, not looking back at them. Down the stairs, he doubled back and rushed out one of the back entrances, dashing for the parking lot.

"You always put her and her children first!" Elirea raged, stamping her foot. "You never pay any attention to us!" She gestured at her two children, nearly knocking one of them again with her rough movements.

Quatre sighed, and suddenly, Kiki's hands were on his shoulders, rubbing him soothingly. "That's not true, Elirea, Quatre cares about all of us…" Then her voice took on a measured amount of hurt. "And besides, Miss Dorothy is his first wife, which is why he must show a preference for her."

"I have told you beforehand that Dorothy and I have an urgent meeting with the Headmistress," Quatre said, his tone carefully neutral. "I will be late, I must be going."

"What about Querin and Quaria?" Elirea demanded. "The pre-schoolers have a presentation in their division, you're their father, you have to be there!"

"Don't make such demands, Elirea," Kiki said, her hands still on Quatre. "Katara herself understands." She smiled down at her own daughter. "I'm sure your children could as well."

Sera opened her mouth to speak. "Albert, he—"

"No, no!" Elirea cried. "He's going to watch our children, and that's final!"

"Why did you tell her anyway?" Quatre muttered to Kiki.

Kiki leaned closer to him and whispered audibly: "I didn't want to, but she was so insistent. I'm so sorry, Quatre."

"And you wouldn't even have told us about this stupid meeting if Kiki hadn't overheard you on the phone with that headmistress woman!" Elirea screamed.

"I am going to meet the Headmistress with Dorothy and our children," Quatre said firmly.

"You're so unfair!" Elirea screamed even louder.

"Stop please, you're making a scene." Quatre said. "You'll have everyone watching us."

"Oops, too late…" Kiki had a properly surprised and apologetic look on her face as she pointed where Ezra was standing. Her companions turned to where she was pointing.

Quatre's emerald eyes went wide. "Ezra… Yossef, Yehan…"

Ezra started. _Yossef_ _and Yehan?_ Ever so slightly, he turned his head. By his peripheral vision, he could see the twins were indeed standing slightly behind him. He turned, looking closely at them. A look of schooled passiveness was on Yossef's face, but his mouth was set even harder and he clutched his mobile phone so tightly that Ezra thought it might break. Yehan's pupils had dilated, his forked eyebrows drawn together, and his mouth was slightly open.

"Yossef, Yehan, Ezra…" Quatre walked towards them.

"Come back here!" Elirea shouted, following him, still flailing her arms. "Quatre, you come back—"

"Sssh!" Kiki grasped the second wife by the back of her shirt, and pulled her back roughly. The third wife's eyes were twinkling and a sly sneer was on her face as she watched Quatre approach his first wife's sons.

"Father," Ezra said, his voice an echo of Quatre's carefully neutral tone. "You are late." Without another word, he pivoted his heel and strode to the Admin Building. Yossef and Yehan were already ahead of him, their longer strides carrying them faster. He could see the twins were whispering furiously, finishing each other's sentences.

"Ezra—"

"Fortunately, I think the meeting is just about to start, Father." He didn't look at the man who was walking beside him.

They entered the building and walked up the steps in silence. Once at the top step, he looked where the Headmistress' Office was. The door closed behind the twins. Ezra and Quatre went to the same door and stepped inside the office.

Dorothy was seated on one of the two chairs nearest the Headmistress' table. There were two other chairs beside hers, occupied by Yossef and Yehan. They were mirrored by another row of three chairs. As Quatre made for the chair in front of Dorothy's, he stole a quick glance at the twins. Yossef was studiously looking at Dorothy, and Yehan stared straight ahead, arms crossed and slouching, obviously not giving up his chair. "Good afternoon," Quatre murmured as he leaned down and kissed Dorothy's cheek.

"Good afternoon," she replied, not even looking at him.

"Good afternoon, Headmistress Ramius," Quatre said.

"Good afternoon Mister Winner." Headmistress Ramius smiled, and graciously indicated the unoccupied seats. "Please, have a seat."

Quatre sat down on the chair in front of Dorothy's. Ezra was about to sit a seat apart from Quatre, but Dorothy stopped him with a 'look'. Ezra glared at his brothers as he sat down on the chair beside their father's.

With her elbows on the table and her hands steepled, Headmistress Ramius leaned forward. "As you know, we are here to discuss your sons' behavior…"

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"The Winner twins aren't exactly well-mannered, but you have to admit, your cousin can be very frustrating, he ticks off everyone," Houki Hahnenfuss-Jule **(1)** said.

"I know that, Houki." Vassilisa sighed. "But Nikki doesn't mean any of it. You know how he is like."

"I know how he is like." Houki absently tugged at her long braid of silvery hair. For a few minutes, neither of them spoke, and continued walking the path through the flower gardens. Then Houki looked at Vassilisa and said seriously: "But other people don't know how he is like. Such frankness and well-meaning, coupled with his open and childish nature… well, it's no wonder he offends people."

"Nikki is a good person!" Vassilisa crossed her arms over her chest and her golden-green eyes flashed belligerently.

"He is," her friend agreed. "But that doesn't change the fact that he offends people."

"What am I supposed to do with him?" Vassilisa sighed again.

"You have to tell him to watch his words," Houki advised. "And he has to learn to stand up for himself. You can't protect him forever—he should be the one protecting you, that's what a man is supposed to do."

Vassilisa laughed gently. "Auntie Shiho would disown you for saying that. Those are very sexist words."

Houki smiled. "I'm sure Mother wouldn't mind. She may be a strong woman, but she still is a woman."

They stepped out of the gardens, into one of the elementary division's playgrounds. Younger students were playing, crowding especially around the complex slide set, which was at the middle of the playground. Nearer the girls was a swing set for two, empty. Vassilisa and Houki looked at it, then looked at each other and grinned.

They each stood on a swing seat (they were too tall to sit comfortably), and with a push of their feet, they swung, as oblivious to the younger students as they were to the two sixth-graders. The buzz of excited child voices was indistinguishable to Vassilisa as she and Houki played on the swings. Then, two voices stood out.

"I saw your daddy at the pree-school," a little-girl voice said, her _r_'s coming out as _w_'s and syllables extending longer than necessary. "Your daddy was with four pree-school boys and giiiirls. What's your daddy doing theeeere?"

"My Daddy? At pre-school?" The other voice was also a little girl's, but Vassilisa noticed this one had far better diction. "My Daddy was with my baby brothers and baby sisters."

"Reaaally?" The first voice said. "But they're not your brothers and sisters!"

"They are," replied the second voice.

"Then why wasn't your mommy theeere? They had other moooommies."

"Because…" the first voice faltered. "We have different mommies."

"You are weiiiiird!"

"I'm not weird!"

"My sisters and me all have the same moooommyyyy. You're weiiiiiird."

"Am not!" The second voice retorted hotly.

"That's why your daddy left your mommy. You're aaaaall weird."

"We're not weird!" The second voice yelled.

"Your parents are going divoooorced—my mommy says that's weiiiiird."

Vassilisa sharply turned at that. In the sandbox nearest to the swing, two little girls were sitting beside a sand castle and a third one, a girl with golden curls, was standing up, glaring at three other little girls headed by a red-haired girl in pigtails. Vassilisa saw that Houki had also stopped swinging and was staring at the scene

"They look familiar," Vassilisa said.

"The little blond and the little redhead?"

"Yes."

"That little brat is Maylene Hawke," Houki said.

"Hawke? Sounds familiar."

Houki smiled wryly at her. "Lunamaria and Meyrin Hawke work under Father."

Vassilisa blanched. She didn't like those Hawkes much. There were two of them, sisters, about her parents' age, and working under Houki's father, often sent to work with _her_ father, and they tended to be… clingy.

"My family is not weird!" The little girl with golden curls cried.

"Is too! Weiiiiird!" Maylene goaded.

"Stop it!"

"And I'm sure that's the Winners' little sister, that little girl with curly hair," Houki told Vassilisa.

"Really!" _That sweet-looking little girl?_

"Weiiiiiiird!"

"Stop! Stop!"

Maylene and her friends all stuck out their tongues at the blond. The little Winner's friends were patting her shoulders comfortingly.

"She shouldn't bully her classmates like that," Vassilisa stepped down the swing and headed for the sandbox. She was grabbed by the arm and pulled back. "Houki!"

Houki shook her head. "No, Vassilisa. You don't even know those children. Little children should be allowed to settle their fights amongst themselves."

"But we can't just watch!"

"Yes, we can."

"Weiiiird! Weiiiird! Weiiiird!" Maylene and her friends were chanting.

"Stop!" The Winner girl cried, covering her ears with her hands.

"Stop it!" Her friends yelled.

"You're soooooo weird!" Maylene flicked a finger at the other girl's forehead.

"Don't do that!" The Winner girl screamed, and quickly lashed out, backhanding the redhead.

"Waaah!" Maylene wailed. "Teacher, teacher—she hurt me!"

The teacher came running to their corner of the playground. "What is happening?" She glanced at the little girls, especially at the furious Wendy and the sobbing Maylene. "Wendy Winner! What did you do to Maylene?"

"…."

Mr. Johnson shook his head. "Come on Wendy, let's talk to Headmistress Ramius."

Wendy followed meekly, allowing Mr. Johnson to lead her away. Maylene was hiccupping from all her crying, but managed to stick out a tongue at Wendy's retreating back just the same.

"Let's go." Vassilisa clasped Houki's hand and dragged her, following the teacher and Wendy.

"Where?" Houki blinked.

"We have to tell Headmistress Ramius what happened," Vassilisa said.

A demure giggle bubbled from Houki. "Vassilisa Athha Zala, Pilot of Justice." **(2)**

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After Quatre and Dorothy had apologized to the Headmistress for their sons' behavior, and the Headmistress said she wanted to hear what happened from the Winner boys, Yossef started talking.

Yossef shrugged. "Basically Yehan and I were teasing Ms. Zala, and she got quite angry with us—not that it stopped us…"

Ezra looked out the corner of his eye. Their father was mouthing something and trying his best to catch their mother's attention by an oddly regular blinking of his eyes, almost like a code. Their mother didn't catch this, or so she would have it seem; Ezra saw her forked eyebrows draw together in annoyance.

"And then Mei-Ling came and scolded us, but Vassilisa told her to mind her own business and to stop badgering other people. Mei-Ling got pretty angry, but we told her to let it go. And then—"

"Yamato became really annoying," Yehan interjected. Dorothy looked sharply at him and Quatre shook his head in warning.

"Well, after a while, Nikki Yamato came and said it's so much easier to tell other people what is right, than to see it and follow it for ourselves, don't we agree," Yossef had a sour expression on his face.

"See, he's provoking us!" Yehan cried.

The Headmistress smiled mildly. "Maybe Nikki Yamato didn't mean to offend you and he was just being sincere."

Ezra stifled a snort. Nikki was sincere alright, and that was exactly what annoyed people—the way he was well-meaning and utterly frank about it. He didn't have a single ounce of tact in his system.

"And where does Vassilisa Athha Zala come in?" Asked the Headmistress.

"We got pretty annoyed at Yamato, he kept putting on that innocent face and saying he didn't mean any offense," Yossef said. "Vassilisa came between us and Yamato."

"And Yehan pushed her away?" Headmistress turned to Yehan for confirmation.

He nodded reluctantly, then he cried: "Well I may have pushed her, but she slapped Ezra! And to think he was just helping her to stand up."

"Is that what happened, Ezra?"

"Yes, Headmistress."

She rested her chin on her hands and regarded the three boys thoughtfully. "I see. Then I need to talk Ms. Zala as well. What do you say?"

Yehan brightened immediately, but Quatre and Dorothy discreetly shook their heads in unison. The younger twin slumped in his seat.

"That wouldn't be necessary, Headmistress," Ezra said. "She was probably just reacting to the hostility—being threatened might have caused her to act on impulse."

"Very well then, Ezrael." Headmistress Ramius nodded, with what looked like an approving smile on her face. "I appreciate your honesty and consideration, and I suppose the three of you have learned your lesson. I would not be giving any of you detention, or any misconduct records."

Ezra perked at this, and grinned widely at his older brothers, who both gave him highfives. Yehan whooped happily.

"However—" their faces fell, "I shall be assigning you to library duty. I'm sure the librarians and the student assistants would be happy to receive extra help, especially since it is inventory period."

Quatre and Dorothy both shook hands with the Headmistress, thanking her for her consideration. They talked for a few minutes, during which the three Winner brothers were congratulating themselves for getting away lightly, all things considered. Then the family headed for the door, escorted by Headmistress Ramius.

As soon as they stepped out of the office, they heard somebody call: "Headmistress Ramius!"

They turned to the voice. Ezra saw a teacher approach holding Wendy by the hand. Behind them, a girl with honey-wheat tresses pulled back her companion, a taller girl with a long braid of hair a shocking shade of silvery-white. _Vassilisa_… _and was that Houki Jule?_ The two girls disappeared around the corner.

Yossef nudged him. "What's Houki Jule doing here?" Ezra shrugged.

"What is the matter, Mr. Johnson?" The Headmistress looked down at the little Winner girl with concern.

"Wendy… she just slapped one of her classmates."

Dorothy gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth. Quatre put a supportive arm around her, but she kneeled down and put her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "Baby, why did you do that?"

"Maylene is very mean, Mommy." Wendy fidgeted but her aquamarine eyes firmly held her mother's ice blue gaze.

"What do you mean by that?" Headmistress Ramius sat on her heels beside Dorothy, looking the little girl in the eye.

"She told me…" Wendy twiddled her fingers, occasionally looking down at her hands but obviously fighting the urge not to look the adults in the eye. "She said that… myfamily'sweirdcausetheotherbabieshavedifferentmommiesandthat'swhyMommyandDaddyaregettingdivorced."

"What?" Dorothy asked softly.

"She said that my family's weird… be-because the other babies have different mommies… and that's why… Mommy and Daddy are getting divorced."

A stifled gasp came from Dorothy. Ezra stiffened and he saw Quatre noticeably tensed as well. Yossef's mouth opened slightly in outrage and Yehan cried: "WHAT?"

"… I think I need to talk to you again, Mr. and Mrs. Winner," Headmistress Ramius said, standing up.

"Of course," Quatre said. Dorothy was stroking Wendy's hair and nodded at the Headmistress' words.

"The three of you may go now," Headmistress Ramius told the Winner boys. "Now please Mr. and Mrs. Winner… and you too Mr. Johnson…"

"QUATRE!"

"Oh shit…" Yehan muttered. Ezra felt his hands grow cold and his cheeks heat up. _No way. No way…_

Holding her daughter's hand, Dorothy slowly stood up and turned to the sight. Three lesser wives and four small children were at the top of the stairs and making their way to where Quatre stood.

"Daddy?" With her free hand, Wendy clutched the sleeve of their father's coat and tugged. Quatre looked down at her briefly and gave her a reassuring smile.

"We have to go to the preschool, NOW!" Elirea stamped her foot for emphasis, dragging her two children with her.

"Oh Elirea, why are you so impatient?" Kiki said sweetly. "I'm sure they're just about done now, aren't you, Quatre dear?"

Dorothy's perfect posture stiffened, and she clutched Wendy's hand tighter. Ezra could hear the sounds of Yehan's teeth grinding together.

"Look," Quatre began. Elirea's face instantly turned as red as her hair.

"WHAT NOW?" She screamed. "We're going to the preschool! You're so unfair, Quatre, you always—"

"Please, Elirea," Kiki held the second wife by the arm. She gave a sugary smile to everyone. "Temper…"

Headmistress Ramius' face was politely neutral; the clasped hands she was wringing behind her back the only indication of her unease. Mr. Johnson was hardly as discreet; he had fixed his gaze to his toes.

"You should go, Quatre," Dorothy said. "I can handle this."

He looked dismayed. "But Dorothy—"

"QUATRE!" ("Elirea, temper…")

"Headmistress?"

The Headmistress opened her door. "Of course Mrs. Winner, do come inside… Good day, Mr. Winner…"

"Daddy!" Wendy tugged at Quatre's sleeve again as Dorothy led her inside the office.

"Dorothy." Quatre reached out and touched her shoulder with his free hand.

"Wendy…" Yossef clasped Wendy's wrist, and gently, but firmly, removed her grip on Quatre's sleeve.

"Bye Mom," Yehan kissed Dorothy on the cheek, Yossef and Ezra following suit. Each also ruffled their sister's hair before heading for the stairs.

"Father," Ezra nodded as he passed Quatre.

"Ezra," Quatre looked from his sons to his wife. "Dorothy…"

"QUATRE!"

Yehan glared at the noisy second wife as they passed by. Ezra glared too, only, he glared at Kiki, whose sickening smile didn't falter.

"Daddy…" Ezra heard Wendy's voice. Then, the sound of a door closed shut.

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"I… kind of… feel bad for them…" the honey-wheat girl. She peeked from behind the wall.

"Of course you do," Houki told her, peeking as well. "Anyone with the smallest amount of sensitivity does."

It had been a while since the Headmistress had ushered the youngest Winner, the Romefeller princess and the teacher inside her office; and the assorted Winners, including the three eldest sons, had gone down the stairs and left. Their strange family arrangement was so outlandishly inappropriate that Vassilisa had found herself turning red in embarrassment for the children. And she had been far too embarrassed to approach the Headmistress in the middle of such a situation.

"Vassilisa, lunch is going to end pretty soon." Houki was looking at her wrist watch. "You don't suppose we could just come later—"

"No!" Vassilisa shook her head. "I'm pretty sure the Headmistress will lead them out any moment now. Let's go closer so we won't miss them."

The two girls leaned on the wall beside the Headmistress' office, Vassilisa watching the door, and Houki keeping an eye on her watch, anxiously tugging her braid all the while.

Three minutes before the bell rang, the door opened. The beautiful Winner wife emerged, thanking the Headmistress, clutching the hand of her daughter who had fixed her stare upon her patent leather shoes. Mr. Johnson was saying a few words to the concerned mother, when Vassilisa spoke.

"Please excuse me, Headmistress Ramius."

Mr. Johnson frowned at her, obviously annoyed at being interrupted. Headmistress Ramius looked surprised. "Ms. Vassilisa Zala, what is it?"

She felt the Winner wife looked at her curiously. Vassilisa wanted to sink right through the floor. _Probably scrutinizing the one who dared to slap her son's pretty face._ "I just wanted to let you know… it wasn't her fault, the little girl…"

"Yossef and Yehan Winner's sister," Houki piped up.

"Wendy," Headmistress said. The little girl looked up at the mention of her name.

"Yes… it wasn't really her fault," Vassilisa said. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the teacher's frown darken. It only urged her to go on. "The truth is, Maylene Hawke and her friend had been tormenting Wendy while she was playing with her friends. She was trying to talk to them properly, but the other girls wouldn't stop provoking her. Finally, Maylene struck her forehead, and that was when she retaliated with a slap."

"Is that what happened, Wendy?" The little girl nodded at the Headmistress' question.

"Well, this changes things quite a bit…" Headmistress Ramius said. She turned to the teacher. "Mr. Johnson, why didn't you tell me the whole story?"

"Well I… Wendy Winner didn't deny it when I asked her if she slapped Maylene."

"She wouldn't deny it, because she really did," Vassilisa said. "But Mr. Johnson came in time only to see Maylene crying and telling on about Wendy."

"I was there as well, Headmistress," Houki said. "What Vassilisa said is true."

Mr. Johnson was practically glaring at her. Vassilisa firmly ignored him. _It's not my fault he didn't carefully assess the situation. Not my fault that he looked like a fool. _ Instead, she met the Headmistress' gaze squarely.

"Thank you for telling us that, Ms. Zala, Ms. Jule." Headmistress Ramius nodded graciously. "I think we need to talk some more, Mrs. Winner, Mr. Johnson. Some other time, with Maylene Hawke's parents. Please inform them, Mr. Johnson." The teacher nodded, still glowering at Vassilisa and Houki.

"We'll be leaving now," Houki said. Both girls dropped into quick curtsies.

"Excuse me…" Both girls turned to the Winner wife. "I am Dorothy Catalonia… Winner. Thank you for your help."

"It was no trouble," Houki said, shaking the hand Dorothy offered. "Besides, it was really Vassilisa's idea…" Vassilisa shot a 'look' at the other girl. Dorothy turned to her.

Wendy tugged at her skirt. "Thank you big sister," the little girl said when she looked down. Vassilisa smiled.

"Vassilisa Athha Zala…" She shook the older woman's hand and tried not to return her gaze, but there was something compelling about Dorothy Winner's ice blue eyes. Vassilisa found herself meeting the look, trying not to be intimidated.

"I would also like to apologize for how my sons behaved towards you and your cousin," Dorothy told her.

"I am also at fault," Vassilisa said. "I apologize for the way I treated Ezrael."

"MOM!" Came a voice that was distinctly one of the Winner twins', and judging from the volume, was certain to be Yehan Winner's.

"You came back?" Dorothy said. The three Winner boys were by at the top of the stairs and walking towards them.

"Excuse us," Vassilisa said to Dorothy. With small, quick steps, she and Houki walked towards the stairs, pretending not to notice the confused looks the Winner boys cast towards them as they passed by each other.

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Ezra was pretty sure that Vassilisa Zala and Houki Jule caught the weirded-out looks that he and the twins gave them, but he was grateful that they didn't make an issue out of it just the same. The last thing they needed was a Vassilisa-Yehan 'catfight' (as Mei-Ling called it) and right in front of the Headmistress' office _and _their mother too.

"Mom!" Yehan called again. He jogged the last few paces towards her. "That was Vassilisa Zala! Did you tell her off?" A mischievous look was on his face.

Dorothy frowned at him. "I most certainly did not! I apologized for your sorry lack of manners towards her and her cousin." Yehan sighed.

"Now I'm certain that was Houki Hahnenfuss Jule," Yossef said, looking over his shoulder at the two girls.

Ezra nodded, picking up Wendy who had stretched out her arms at him, wanting to be carried. "Yes it was."

"What was she doing here?"

Ezra shrugged. "I don't know."

Dorothy's eyes widened, looking from Houki Jule to the Winner boys. "Oh no. Oh dear. Please do not tell me you are planning to pick on Ms. Jule this time!"

"Of course not," Yossef said quickly.

At the same time, Yehan said: "That's a thought." At the looks everyone gave him, he held up both hands: "I was kidding!"

"Meany!" Wendy pointed an accusing finger at Yehan.

"That's not even funny," Ezra said, shaking his head.

"It most certainly was not…" Dorothy had a hand over her heart. "The daughter of Councilor Hahnenfuss and Supreme Chairman Jule, goodness me…"

**(1) **Okay, so this is meaningful only to Shiho Hahnenfuss fans, but I'll explain it anyway because YzaShi is one of my favorite ships (and Houki is my OC born of that ship). In honor of her fighting skills, Yzak's nickname for Shiho is _Housenka_ which means _Balsam_/_Phoenix Flower_, because when she attacks, she sends out rays in all directions and creates explosions, the resulting appearance of which looks like a blossom. (Isn't that sweet? I think so, when considering the guy involved is extremely military-oriented. ) So, I named their daughter _Houki_ because of the similarity in sound, and meaning—one of the meanings of _Houki_ is _Comet_.

**(2) **Aside from how I made Vassilisa really sensitive to ideas of fairness (hah, she's not so different from Mei-Ling after all!), one of the mobile suits her dad piloted was the Justice. (Although in this case, _Pilot_ means more of _Director/Bearer_ instead of _Driver_. Think of it as an inside joke between friends. I shouldn't really be explaining my own pun… )

Author's Notes: Okay, that was a very children-oriented chapter. Don't fret. I promise a ton of 4D (and probably some of the other couples as well) in the next chapter.

I can't stress it enough, please review:) And yes, I know that Lacus has become the Chairwoman or whatever, but I honestly can't take her seriously, so I'd rather that though she remains influential, she's not into politics. Yzak is most deserving to be the leader, I would say. And don't kill me for my mashing together of two universes; we're here for the romance and drama, not the politics! (I do apologize for the Gundam Seed angles though… looks like I need to write some AsuCaga and YzaShi!) As I said, just think of them as plain OCs.


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